<<Print>>

Afigya Kwabre North Member of Parliament (MP), Collins Adomako-Mensah, has appealed to both the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) and opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) to tackle the issue of illegal mining dispassionately devoid of politics.

He noted that illegal mining (galamsey) is becoming extremely difficult to fight due to the political tussle between the two parties in addressing the issue.

To him, while the parties are busily engaged in political squabbles over the galamsey menace, the kingpins are excitedly drinking tea and mocking them because they know no progress will be made in ending their illicit business.

"We don't even know how to discuss the issue now. You brought up a very, very subject of politicization. When we're talking about this and it turns into NPP/NDC discussion, the real kingpins sit in their rooms, drink tea, laugh and ridicule us," he told Kwami Sefa Kayi on Peace FM's "Kokrokoo" morning show.

Narrating how bad galamsey has affected the nation, Collins Adomako-Mensah recounted a journey he made and, along the stretch of road, he saw the dangerous dugouts at the galamsey sites which threaten lives, water bodies and the environment.

"I'm not for the politicization of it, and from what I've seen and the report I have seen, I don't sympathize with any illegal miner," he stated.

He advised both the NPP and NDC to "understand that there are certain things we have to take politics out, if we don't do that we will not make any headway".