Ing. Dr. Kenneth Ashigbey, Convener of the Media Coalition Against Galamsey, has urged journalists to ensure that major presidential candidates, Members of Parliament, and parliamentary candidates make a strong commitment to the government’s latest promises aimed at combating illegal mining.
He specifically called on Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and John Dramani Mahama of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to take a decisive stand against galamsey.
This request follows Organised Labour’s decision to suspend its industrial action, originally scheduled for October 10, in response to the government’s plans to tackle the galamsey issue.
Dr. Ashigbey made this appeal during an interview with Bernard Avle on Channel One TV’s The Point of View on Wednesday, October 9.
He emphasized that the 2024 general elections in Ghana are a competitive race between Dr. Bawumia and Mr. Mahama, urging journalists to prioritize continuity by promoting this agenda and ensuring both candidates commit to the President’s promises.
Dr. Ashigbey highlighted the importance of journalists tracking and reporting on President Akufo-Addo’s latest strategies to address galamsey, which has severely impacted Ghana’s water bodies and forests.
“Another important thing that we [media] need to start doing, is that these parliamentary candidates in these communities, we need to make sure that these minimum things that government has said, they are also signed onto it, all of them, including the current members of parliament, and also the presidential candidates, especially of the NDC and NPP, they need to sign onto it.
“Because post January 7, 2025, one of them will be president and it has to continue, so, as we push, and we should push for additional things to be done.
“A lot more timelines must be put on the things that have been said that are going to be done and also demand reports… It’s important we keep doing that.”
