We need a new face to fight Galamsey in Ghana, not Bawumia – Dr Solomon Owusu to NPP delegates

A renowned Ghanaian mining consultant resident in the United States of America (USA), Dr. Solomon Kwabena Owusu, has pleaded with delegates of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the upcoming presidential primaries to vote against Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia. He made the call during an interview on Joy News’ “The Pulse” programme with Blessed Sogah on Wednesday October 11, 2023.

In his view, the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia led administration has maltreated licensed small-scale miners and also failed woefully in their efforts to fight illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey in the country. According to him, the Akufo-Addo/ Bawumia administration has not shown any commitment to end the galamsey menace. He accused some top officials within the NPP of engaging in illegal mining with foreigners, particularly Chinese nationals.

Reacting to questions as to whether the galamsey menace will end in the country, Dr Solomon Owusu said , unless there is a paradigm shift in government to curtail the galamsey menace,  the canker will still persist. He said, the NPP ought to present a new candidate to address the galamsey menace because Dr. Bawumia is undeniably part of the galamsey menace in the country, adding that the people who are campaigning for Dr Bawumia are the same people behind Aisha Huang and lots of Chinese illegal miners in the country. Hence, they know that delegates will vote against Dr. Bawumia if they discharge the galamsey Queen before the National Delegates Conference of the NPP on November 4, 2023.

“I confidently tell you that, if the mess will end in the country then there should be a paradigm shift in government because the same DCEs, MCEs, Regional Ministers and the NPP party executives whom Professor Frimpong Boateng mentioned their names, are the same people trying to force Dr. Bawumia on Ghanaians.

“I don’t know if you have realised that, I’m not trying to do politics here, if we can curb the mess then we need a new face,” he stressed.

He contended that the NPP government must immediately apologize to Ghanaians for its failure to put an end to galamsey activities in the country. He said the NPP government is a scam, as they created the impression that they are going to end the galamsey matters” he added. The so-called fight against galamsey by the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia government is a scam and has been a lost battle from day one. This is because there has never been any genuine commitment or political will on the part of the President to combat the menace in the country.”

President Akufo-Addo has proven to be a leader who has specialized in talk without backing same with deeds. Today, our beloved country stands at a crossroads of unprecedented economic mess and environmental degradation under President Akufo-Addo and Alhaji Bawumia,” he said.

He said, the numerous approaches implemented by this current government have been fruitless because some government appointees are deep-necked in the galamsey activities. “Dr Bawumia will continue the same mess with the same people following him so delegates must vote against him.

He reiterated that, NPP should present a new face like Kennedy Agyapong because he is determined to address mining problems in the country but Dr. Bawumia will continue the same galamsey mess and the nation will still suffer. He urged the NPP grassroots and party faithfuls to rally behind Kennedy Agyapong and vote for him on November 4, 2023.

By Lawrence Odoom