Former Vice President and New Patriotic Party (NPP) flagbearer Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia says illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey, has more than tripled under the NDC government.
Speaking at the NPP Thanksgiving Service at the Church of Pentecost, Sunyani, the former Vice President mocked government’s 24-hour economy 1-3-3 promise, suggesting it might have been about galamsey.
“Galamsey is even worse. Maybe when they mentioned 1:3:3 they meant galamsey because galamsey has now more than tripled,” he said to cheers.
“The other time Dr. Sam Jonah said our river bodies now look like chocolate milk. They said they would end galamsey within one month but they have failed.”
Dr. Bawumia said the government’s failure to fight galamsey has left Ghana’s water bodies heavily polluted and communities suffering.
He added that promises of a new economy and jobs have also failed, as Ghanaians continue to ask where the jobs are.
“Our economy is a tale of two economies. One is a paper economy – they say inflation is down. The second is the pocket economy – the high cost of living and your sufferings,” he said.