Isaac Andrews Tandoh, who serves as the Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the Minerals Commission overseeing small-scale and industrial minerals, has firmly dismissed allegations suggesting that illegal mining, commonly referred to as “galamsey,” has escalated under the leadership of former President John Dramani Mahama.
This statement comes in the wake of criticism from Richard Ahiagbah, the Communications Director of the New Patriotic Party (NPP). Ahiagbah recently addressed the media, asserting that the Mahama administration’s management of galamsey has led to a significant deterioration of the situation. He argued that the government’s perceived lack of commitment to addressing the issue has exacerbated environmental degradation and caused substantial disruptions within mining communities across the country.
In response to these charges, Tandoh participated in an interview on Citi FM’s Eyewitness News on March 26, where he robustly refuted Ahiagbah’s claims. He expressed disappointment at the NPP’s criticisms, asserting that the Mahama administration had demonstrated a stronger political will to combat illegal mining than its predecessors. Tandoh emphasized that strides made during Mahama’s tenure included implementing more effective regulatory measures and engaging local communities in finding sustainable solutions to the challenges posed by illegal mining activities.
“I beg to differ from the NPP’s point of view. I am actually surprised that somebody who has been in power for eight years and couldn’t do anything about something, and looking at what we have done within the last two months, this is what they have to say—then it’s a little bit disappointing,” Tandoh remarked.
He further emphasized that the fight against galamsey depends on political commitment, which he believes Mahama’s administration has demonstrated.
“If you look at this whole galamsey fight, it is about political will, and for John Dramani Mahama’s administration, they demonstrated that he is out to wage that war against galamsey,” Tandoh added.
