Franklin Cudjoe, President of IMANI Africa, has criticised President Nana Akufo-Addo's recent call for more time to address the illegal mining menace, known as "galamsey." His comment comes after the president asked Organised labour to push back its intended strike action to allow the government to consult stakeholders on how best to deal with the illegal mining menace.
Speaking on Eyewitness News on Friday, October 4, 2024, Cudjoe described the president's appeal as disrespectful to the concerns of Ghanaians, particularly those pushing for immediate action against galamsey.
He expressed disappointment with the president's handling of the issue, accusing him of failing to take decisive steps despite numerous calls from various quarters, including civil society and the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), to end illegal mining activities that have ravaged 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!