The proposals put forth by both the governing New Patriotic Party and the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) are not enough to kick illegal mining out of the country.
Renowned economist and statesman, Andrews Kwame Pianim, who is asking all presidential aspirants to make public their roadmap to tackling galamsey says what the two main political parties have come out with will not be the solution.
According to him, what John Mahama of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has said will not help with the situation, adding that the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) proposal is equally not enough.
He said the politicians who are financing galamsey have enriched themselves to be able to afford proper water to drink, leaving majority of the citizens to consume the poisoned waters to die.
Mr. Pianim has therefore asked that those who lack the wherewithal to address the canker do not deserve to lead the nation.
“Those few people who will make a lot of money from it, the high politicians, may be drinking avian water. So all of us are compromised. So, if a politician comes and says this existential threat, I do not have a proposal for resolving it in six months tine, he is not competent to govern this country,” he stated.
He questioned what the respective candidates have put forth to tackle the menace so far, saying none of the party’s has a clear roadmap that will help address the matter holistically.
“Who has put forth a proposal? I’ve seen Mahama’s proposal, who else has put forth a proposal? I haven’t seen Bawumia’s proposal. What has Bawumia said about it?
“I heard President Mahama…look that will not help us” he noted, adding that the plans of the Vice President and flag bearer of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, is not enough to address the canker entirely.
This was after he had been told the Vice President says he will provide money to those doing small-scale mining to venture into upscale mining to curb the menace.
He added that “alluvial mining, illegal small-scale mining should be stopped completely. There is no economic, social, political reasons for doing it” adding that “the President should be commended in taking the right direction [but] it’s not enough.”
Kwame Pianim was speaking with Accra-based JoyNews when he made the remarks.
We are going to be giving birth to imbeciles who cannot think if we don’t stop ‘galamsey’ – Pianim
