Minority Leader Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin has issued a fervent plea for a united national front in the fight against illegal mining (galamsey), urging political actors to permanently set aside partisanship and treat the menace as a collective national crisis.
Speaking in Parliament following the recent attack on members of the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS), allegedly involving the Asutifi North MP, the Minority Leader described the incident as a wake-up call for Ghana’s political leadership.
“Indeed, democracy provides that the actors must have an opportunity to politic… However, there are core national issues that must unite us, and galamsey is one of them,” Afenyo-Markin stressed.
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Afenyo-Markin expressed disappointment that successive governments and political leaders have failed to demonstrate the necessary commitment to halt illegal mining, despite repeated warnings about its dire impact.
He recalled a 2015 incident where the then Finance Minister, Seth Terkper, lamented how galamsey was affecting cocoa production, questioning whether the nation truly listened.
The Minority Leader acknowledged former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s strong stance, recalling his declaration that he was willing to put his presidency on the line to fight illegal mining. Yet, he criticized the political class for focusing on political convenience and gains, which he said is the reason for the current crisis.
Afenyo-Markin disclosed that as a former chairman of the Ghana Water Company Limited, he personally witnessed the financial devastation caused by illegal mining.
“I saw data for myself showing how heavily the country was losing money to treat water because of galamsey. It is getting worse,” he stated.
While civil society, organized labour, and religious groups continually voice their concerns, the Minority Leader declared that the real power to act lies squarely with Parliament.
He appealed to lawmakers on both sides of the aisle: “Can we, as political leaders, for once agree to stay the partisan approach on this matter and deal with it? Let our citizens know this is a national issue, not an NDC or NPP affair.”
Afenyo-Markin concluded with a strong declaration, emphasizing the urgent need for a unified, action-driven strategy: “The issue of galamsey calls for collective action—not an NDC-NPP affair, but a Ghana affair. Enough is enough with the partisan approach on this galamsey matter.”