NPP’s Dr. Abongo Slams NDC’s Governance, Highlights Failures in Gold Sector Management
The Chairman of the Russia Branch of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr. Mashood Abongo, has raised serious concerns about the governance of President John Mahama, particularly in the management of the gold sector and the fight against illegal mining.
According to Dr. Abongo, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) administration’s decision to reduce the gold price from GHC16,000 to GHC8,000 per ounce was not beneficial to the country, as it seemed to favor small-scale miners. He also accused the CEO of Gold Board, Sammy Gyamfi, of mismanaging issues surrounding the Gold Board, alleging widespread malpractice.
Allegations of Corruption and Malpractice
Dr. Abongo claimed that a task force established to seize illegally mined gold has failed to account for their operations, and that Sammy Gyamfi has been purchasing gold from illegal miners, with as much as 50% of such purchases originating from unlawful sources. He criticized the government for creating the Gold Board instead of a legal mining body, suggesting that the institution was deliberately designed to benefit from the end product of illegal mining.
Call for Sustainable Solutions
Dr. Abongo suggested that the Gold Board should invest the gold return fund into creating sustainable livelihoods for youth engaged in irresponsible mining. He believes that NAIMOS is just a temporary solution to the galamsey problem and that a long-term approach is needed. Dr. Abongo proposed training illegal miners, providing necessary institutions, and manpower to monitor mining sites.
