Dennis Miracles Aboagye, a close aide to former Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, has called on the government to stop politicising the fight against illegal small-scale mining (galamsey) and instead focus on tackling the menace head-on.
Speaking on Breakfast Daily on Channel One TV on Wednesday, October 1, 2025, Aboagye accused elements within the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) of being deeply complicit in illegal mining activities.
The NDC is heavily involved in galamsey. When we went round Akwatia and Ayensuano, they are heavily involved,” he alleged.
Aboagye painted a dire picture of the situation on Ghana’s major rivers, claiming that galamseyers have brazenly diverted river courses and set up large-scale operations in full view of authorities.
“With the Offin River, the galamseyers have diverted the path of the river, and they are mining in it. They use the fresh water to wash the gold, and the dirty water flows back to the right path. When you stand by the road, you will see them. Just beside them is a police checkpoint, and yet they are mining with impunity,” he recounted.
He added that on the Pra River, illegal miners were operating with multiple heavy-duty chamfans directly on the waterway. “The area is so noisy that when we flew our drones, they couldn’t even hear or see it. Our drones went so low that we could capture faces. The situation is terrible,” he lamented.
Aboagye stressed that the NPP should not be drawn into the conversation, as it is no longer in government and has no control over the state apparatus.
“Wonder [Madilo] and his people should stop talking about NPP. For now, the NPP doesn’t matter. We are out of office. You are in power; the mandate has been given to you. Fix the darn thing,” he said.
His remarks add to the growing public debate on the government’s handling of illegal mining, which continues to devastate farmlands, pollute water bodies, and threaten the environment despite years of promises to curb the practice.
Source – My News Ghana
