Franklin Cudjoe, President of IMANI Africa, has criticized President Nana Akufo-Addo’s recent request for more time to address the illegal mining crisis known as “galamsey.”
Cudjoe’s remarks came after the president urged organized labour to postpone its planned strike to allow the government to consult with stakeholders on how best to tackle the issue.
Speaking on Eyewitness News on Friday, October 4, 2024, Cudjoe labeled the president’s appeal as disrespectful to Ghanaians, particularly those advocating for immediate action against galamsey.
He expressed his disappointment with the president’s approach to the matter, accusing him of failing to take decisive action despite numerous appeals from various groups, including civil society and the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), to put an end to illegal mining activities that have severely impacted the country’s water bodies and environment.
“If this president was serious and was minded to deal with this matter, he would have done so long ago. Even as recently as the GJA [awards] programme and the GJA president as well as many others called him out to end galamsey, this man looked in the eyes of everybody else and said nothing about galamsey.
“Then a few days later because organised labour is bent on going on this demonstration, all of a sudden he’s woken up no! It just cannot be. I don’t think the president is serious by the way. I am just waiting for him to leave office.
“I feel so disappointed and disgusted that this president will be disrespectful of people’s views and opinions as if we don’t even exist,” he stated.
He continued: “I strongly believe the president has sat back and allowed this whole canker to press further and then because organised labour said it is going on strike all of a sudden he’s woken up. Nothing he writes, nothing he says is worth it. I think they should disregard it and go ahead.”
