The Communication Director for the Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia campaign Dennis Miracle Aboagye, robustly defended the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources Samuel Abu Jinapor, who has come under fire for his mishandling of the illegal mining menace known as Galamsey.
Miracle Aboagye’s remarks touched on the politicization of the issue, emphasizing that the problem existed long before the current government took office, and scapegoating ministers or officials would not solve it.
Miracle Aboagye began by pointing out that illegal mining in Ghana is not a new phenomenon. According to him, it has been part of the country’s history for decades, predating the current administration. He underscored that the origins of modern-day illegal mining activities—particularly the severe environmental damage involving river bodies—date back to the early 2010s, during the administration of former President John Evans Atta Mills.
“Galamsey is an ancient, pre-colonial activity,” Aboagye said, noting that although illegal mining had existed in the 1960s and 1970s, “the actual river body Galamsey that we are seeing today reared its head in 2010, 2011.” He argued that those advocating for the removal of current officials seem to forget that the problem had been festering long before the New Patriotic Party (NPP) took office.
Addressing Scapegoating and Politicization
Miracle Aboagye argued that the fight against this illegal mining should not be turned into a political game. He criticized calls for Jinapor’s dismissal, suggesting that such actions would neither resolve the issue nor tackle the core problem.
“You don’t fight social canker by scapegoating, If you scapegoat in the fight against a social canker, you don’t get results.”
Dennis Miracle Aboagye the Communication Director for the Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia campaign
He further explained that focusing on one or two people while ignoring the systemic nature of Galamsey would only serve to “allow the actual perpetrators to hide.” Miracle Aboagye expressed concern that this approach misdirects attention away from the real culprits and gives a false impression that removing the current minister would eradicate illegal mining. He reiterated; “If today, Abu Jinapor is removed from the Lands Ministry, there will still be Galamsey.” According to him, the call for the minister’s resignation misses the broader context, which involves a complex network of stakeholders, including chiefs, religious leaders, and opinion leaders.
A Deep-Seated Social Canker
Miracle Aboagye described Galamsey as a “social canker” deeply rooted in Ghanaian society, with various segments of society contributing to its persistence.
“The former Environment Minister, Honorable Ayariga, under the NDC, actually said on record and is reported that he thinks we should give up on the fight against galamsey.”
Dennis Miracle Aboagye the Communication Director for the Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia campaign
He continued by highlighting the contradiction in Ayariga’s remarks: “He recommended that we should legalize illegal mining… where he said it has become so difficult fighting this canker under the NDC.” Miracle Aboagye further emphasized that Ayariga’s comments reflected the complexity of the issue, as he pointed out that various groups, including chiefs, religious leaders, and assembly members, are often implicated in Galamsey operations.
The NPP’s Role and Efforts
Miracle Aboagye argued that the NPP government, under President Nana Akufo-Addo, has made considerable efforts to address the illegal mining crisis, despite inheriting the problem from the previous administration. He pointed out; “When Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo came to office and was being sworn in, in his statement, he had Galamsey as a major issue which he promised to deal with.”
Miracle Aboagye used this to underscore the point that the problem was not created by the current administration, but rather one that had worsened over time and required a concerted effort to fight. Miracle Aboagye also stressed that the NDC’s attempts to fight Galamsey were largely unsuccessful. “For the entire period that these people that are advocating for somebody to be scapegoated were in power, they couldn’t fight it,” he said. He accused the previous administration of giving up on the problem, leaving it for the current government to manage. Miracle Aboagye emphasized that the fight against Galamsey requires a depoliticized approach, urging all stakeholders to focus on finding lasting solutions rather than blaming individuals. He maintained that removing ministers or other government officials would not address the root causes of illegal mining and would only distract from the broader fight. He emphasized; “You don’t fight social canker by scapegoating and politicizing.”
He further cautioned that if the fight against Galamsey continues to be framed in partisan terms, the true culprits will escape accountability. “You leave the real culprits, and you’ll be doing the attempt wars, fighting amongst yourselves,” he pointed out, urging a collective and unified approach to combat this long-standing issue. Miracle Aboagye’s defense of Abu Jinapor and his critique of the politicization of the Galamsey fight highlight the complexities surrounding the issue. He called for a more comprehensive, society-wide approach to tackling illegal mining, while also reminding Ghanaians of the historical context of the problem, which he claims was inherited from previous administrations.
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