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The Director of Communications for the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), Richard Ahiagbah has accused the flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Dramani Mahama, of fueling the menace of illegal mining, popularly referred to as galamsey.

According to Richard Ahigabah, the former President and the largest opposition party, NDC, are promoters of galamsey adding that, the decision by John Mahama to use Artificial Intelligence to fight the canker is a political gimmick to solicit for votes from Ghanaians.

Former President, John Mahama, while speaking at the University of Energy and Natural Resources (UENR) in the Sunyani on May 15, during the 3rd Annual Transformational Dialogue on Small-Scale Mining, announced that during his tenure as President, he will employ Artificial Intelligence to fight galamsey.

Mr. Mahama said, “We will introduce and encourage technological innovation to improve capacity for coordinated monitoring of the small-scale mining sector and reduce environmental impact”.

“This will include using AI to locate all small-scale mining and galamsey operations, track excavators, and geo-fence all concessions to ensure mining operations are not conducted in unapproved areas, including water bodies,” John Mahama said.

However, posting on his official X page, the NPP Director of Communication posited, “the NDC are promoters of galamsey. Therefore, H.E Mahama's promise to use AI powered plan to combat galamsey is a vote-seeking gimmick. Galamsey is an existential problem that requires inputs from all strata of society to combat. Resolving the galamsey menace is impossible with H.E John Mahama and the NDC because they are promoters and beneficiaries of galamsey.”

According to him, there have been some evidence to buttress his assertion that, the NDC propelled the practice of galamsey under the leadership of His Excellency John Dramani Mahama.

He referred to “the widely publicized 2020 video of Kwaku Boahen, then, Deputy Communications Officer of the NDC, promising a golden age of galamsey to voters in mining communities across the country."

“H.E Mahama promised to free galamsey convicts in 2020, at a campaign event at Mpohor, and has repeated the same promise following his selection as the flagbearer of the NDC for the 2024 presidential election.”

Richard Ahiagbah stated that, the fight against galamsey will be a futile venture under the leadership of John Mahama and the NDC government.

“Solution to the fight against galamsey is impossible with Mahama & the NDC."  

"Vote Bawumia for a bold solution to the galamsey menace. It's possible,”  he said.