The Communications Director for Dr Mahamudu Bawumia’s campaign, Dennis Miracles Aboagye, has stated that removing the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel Jinapor from office, will not resolve the issue of illegal mining.

According to him, illegal mining existed before the minister took office, making calls for his dismissal unnecessary.

The Minority members on Parliament’s Works and Housing Committee has demanded the immediate removal of the Lands Minister and his deputies. They accuse them of failing to protect Ghana’s water bodies and rivers from the damaging effects of illegal mining, also known as “galamsey.”

Vincent Oppong Asamoah, the Ranking Member on the Works and Housing Committee, believes that removing the sector ministers would lead to the desired improvement.

However, speaking on JoyNews, Mr Aboagye asked; “Was there Galamsey before the Lands Minister took office? If you fire the Land Minister tomorrow, will it end Galamsey? The point is, before I say that, let’s relieve you of your role as a host on this program, you might have been culpable of something. I might have seen that you are either incompetent in fixing it or doing what you are doing, or you have not done what you are supposed to do.”

Mr Aboagye stated that social problems cannot be effectively addressed through scapegoating and politicisation.

He emphasised that if social issues are tackled in this manner, the real culprits are often left untouched.

“I am one person who has refrained from allowing this galamsey conversation to be drawn along partisan lines. Whose purpose does it serve? Who benefits from this? This galamsey menace has been present since 2011, when it first emerged under the former president as vice president and former President Mills,” he said.

Source:Myjoyonline.com

A member of the Fix the Country movement, under the auspices of Democracy Hub, has been arrested at Kotoka International Airport (KIA).

Ralph St. Williams, also known as Fellow Ghanaians, was arrested while en route to Kumasi in the Ashanti Region ahead of the group’s protest on Saturday.

The convener of the movement, Oliver Baker-Vormawor, made this known in a tweet on X on Thursday, September 19.

Mr Baker-Vormawor believes the arrest is linked to Fellow Ghanaians’ participation in the “Enough is Enough” demonstration organised by the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) against the Electoral Commission.

“It appears that Ralph’s arrest stems from his peaceful participation in Tuesday’s ‘Enough is Enough’ demonstration, where he highlighted government mismanagement by opening the National Cathedral pit, a site that has already cost Ghana 58 million cedis, for symbolic swimming,” portions of the tweet read.

A viral video of the suspect shows him tearing down some posters at the Cathedral project site and expressing his anger over the misuse of public funds.

But the convener of the movement also alleged that the arrest was aimed at preventing Ralph St. Williams from participating in the upcoming ‘Say No to Galamsey’ protest, and to “intimidate activists fighting for transparency and environmental justice.”

Mr Baker-Vormawor condemned the arrest and demanded the immediate release of their member.

He also called for an official apology from the authorities for what he described as a blatant attempt to silence critical voices.

Meanwhile, he said that the group will be submitting a formal petition to the Inspector General of Police to address the situation.

Source:Myjoyonline.com