Dennis Miracles Aboagye, an aide to former Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia wants government to discontinue the purchase of gold sourced from illegal miners popularly known as galamsey.
Speaking during a visit to the Ayensu River, following the shutdown of the Kwanyako Headworks due to pollution from galamsey activities, Miracles Aboagye raised alarm over remarks made by President Mahama during a recent media engagement.
“During the recent media engagement, the president said that indeed he could be buying gold from galamseyers to as much as $4 billion out of the $6 billion he has exported. That for us is a cause for concern,” he said.
Miracles Aboagye argued that if government revenue is heavily dependent on gold from illegal mining, then there would be little motivation for the current administration to end the practice.
“If the president is giving us such an indication, and that is what he is anchoring his government’s transformation plan on, then we cannot trust and believe that he is going to put measures in place to end galamsey. Because, should he succeed, what he is telling us is that he may be short of $4 billion out of $6 billion export,” he explained.
He urged President Mahama and the NDC government to put the welfare of citizens and environmental protection above monetary benefits.
“We are begging the president and the NDC government to prioritise our lives and the environment over money. We are not interested in how much money he is getting from these criminals. He should stop buying the gold from the criminals and get them off our river bodies so we can get water to drink,” Mr. Aboagye stressed.
Source:Lovinghananews.com
