On JoyNews’ Newsfile on Saturday, October 31, Dennis Miracles Aboagye, Director of Communications for the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), called on the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to accept responsibility for Ghana’s worsening illegal mining crisis. Aboagye warned that the NDC could no longer deflect blame onto former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo‑Addo after 24 months of the current administration’s failure to deliver on its campaign promises.
“This is the evidence of how spectacular this NDC government has failed the people of this country on the back of their own promises and words,” Aboagye said, accusing the NDC of presenting galamsey as a national problem while, in reality, the party had treated it as a government failure that would disappear once it took office.
He recalled the week‑long demonstrations staged in Accra by opposition supporters, describing them as a pressure tactic that forced the NDC to confront its own record. Aboagye said the party had historically enabled illegal mining since 2009 and that the situation worsened each time the NDC came to power.
Aboagye presented video footage and other evidence to support his claim that the NDC’s approach to galamsey had been to shift responsibility onto the former president and his administration. He cited former Environment Minister Mahama Ayariga’s 2013 remarks, which suggested legalising illegal mining due to its difficulty to control.
“Let nobody pretend and be hypocritical. This government hasn’t done even 50% of what the Akufo‑Addo government did in the fight against galamsey,” Aboagye said, urging the NDC to stop appealing for collective responsibility without concrete action.
As the 2024 general election approaches, Aboagye’s remarks highlight the NDC’s growing accountability challenge. The party will need to demonstrate a clear, evidence‑based plan to curb illegal mining if it wishes to regain public trust.
