Deputy Minister for Lands and Natural Resources in charge of mines, George Mireku Duker, has made quite the bold claim, assuring Ghanaians that the country’s severely polluted water bodies will magically return to their pristine, clean state if, of course, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) is retained in power. Apparently, the NPP needs a three-month grace period to clean up years of destruction caused by illegal mining, or “galamsey” as it’s commonly known.
He said this during a meeting with small-scale miners in the Prestea Huni Valley enclave.
In what sounds like a campaign pitch rather than a genuine plan, Duker stated, “We don’t solve a problem while standing in it. We are barely a month and a half away from elections, so there is a lot of propaganda going around. But, God willing, if small-scale miners support us and we retain power on December 7, within three months, the next NPP government will ensure that our water bodies are clean,” he said.
So, rather than taking immediate action, it seems the strategy is to wait for election results before tackling the issue. According to him, all that’s needed is for small-scale miners to back the NPP on December 7, and voilà! Within three months, Ghana’s devastated water bodies will sparkle like brand new.
This comes as public frustration grows, with labor unions and civil society groups urging the government to place a strict ban on mining activities before the country’s water sources are ruined beyond repair. But fear not, Duker reassured, because as long as voters check the right box, the NPP will pull off this environmental miracle.
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