President has acknowledged the significant impact of the fight against illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey, on his presidency and the fortunes of the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
Speaking during his final State of the Nation Address to on Friday, January 3, 2025, the President highlighted the political and policy implications of this contentious issue.
He stated that his commitment to tackling galamsey, despite its unpopularity among some quarters, was driven by the need to protect Ghana's environment. "I knew and was very much aware that fighting galamsey was not a universally popular position for a president to take, but I felt strongly enough about the need to protect our environment to say I was prepared to put my presidency on the line in defense of our lands and water bodies," he declared.
The President further linked the NPP's loss of several parliamentary seats in the 2020 elections to the anti-galamsey campaign, noting its direct effect on the composition of the 8th .
