He expressed disappointment in the government’s failure to protect the nation’s environment and natural resources.
Yankah questioned why the inter-ministerial committee and security forces didn’t involve the National House of Chiefs or NGOs in their efforts. He called for bipartisan town hall meetings and stressed that all governments should be held accountable for their actions or inaction regarding this issue.
“I wonder what President Akufo Addo and his government can do between now and the Elections, but l believe that the President and his government have let the nation down, with respect to protecting the nation’s environment and natural resources, and an address on the state of the nation’s resources is due.
The Truth must be told. That we fail to see this as one of the reasons for the country’s shabby economy is nothing short of intellectual dishonesty. All Governments should be held accountable for their promises, actions and inactions! We need to cure this cancer in order to end these equalization comments!”
NPP and NDC accuse each other of engaging in galamsey
The governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) has accused the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) of engaging in galamsey when they were in power.
During an emergency parliamentary sitting, the Majority Chief Whip, Frank Annoh Dompreh, asserted that the opposition NDC had caused more environmental damage through galamsey activities than the NPP.
“If we are to look and investigate both sides of the House (NPP and NDC), I can tell you that the NDC polluted the water more than us. So let’s get matters straight,” he said on Tuesday.
His remarks drew sharp criticism from NDC members, who accused the NPP of failing to address the galamsey menace effectively.
The Minority Leader, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forso argued that despite the deployment of security personnel, illegal mining remains rampant under the current administration.
“If the President has failed to curb illegal mining, he should admit so. And if the Defence Minister has failed in tacking galamsey, should admit so.
“It is wrong for him to insinuate and create the perception that someone is making a political statement. The issue is very serious, our livelihood is threatened,” he said.
This debate comes after two-and-a-half-year-old twins fell into an abandoned galamsey pit filled with water and died.
The occurred at Morkwaa, a farming community near Twifo Praso in the Twifo Atti-Morkwa District of the Central Region.