Ghana’s opposition says illegal gold mining is worse than in 2024
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on MyJoyOnline
Dennis Miracles Aboagye, national communications director of the New Patriotic Party, says illegal gold mining is worse than in 2024 and challenges the government’s strategy. He cites water pollution and six deaths in a clash linked to anti-galamsey operations. He criticises NAIMOS for targeting excavators rather than open-air mining sites, according to MyJoyOnline.
In Ghana, Dennis Miracles Aboagye, communications director of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), the main opposition party, says illegal gold mining, known as 'galamsey', has worsened compared with 2024. He accuses the government of failing to keep its promises to fight the activity and stresses that water pollution persists. He was speaking on Saturday 14 November on JoyNews' Newsfile programme.
He is reacting to the clash that took place on Wednesday afternoon in Manso Keniago, in the Ashanti Region, where residents and alleged illegal miners tried to prevent the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) from tracking down seized excavators. Six people died. According to him, NAIMOS’s strategy targets machinery transported on roads, whereas open-air mining activities, documented by audio and video recordings, remain unanswered.
He questions the point of these deaths and asks: 'Those six people are dead: has the water changed colour?' He also believes that communiqués and public appeals intended to calm public opinion are not enough to address the fundamental difficulties of fighting illegal gold mining.
These remarks follow the Manso Keniago clashes, for which an independent inquiry was called on 14 November. The same day, Ken Ashigbey called for a state of emergency against illegal gold mining.
