We’ll lose our seats if we impose a ban on Galamsey – NPP MP for Asante Akim South

The Asante Akim South Member of Parliament (MP), Kwaku Asante-Boateng, has voiced worries that the government’s unwillingness to address galamsey, or illegal mining, is motivated by a fear of losing the elections scheduled for December 7.

Asante-Boateng claims that the New Patriotic Party (NPP) lost in a number of mining areas in 2020 as a result of the party’s adamant opposition to galamsey.

Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, the NPP MP said that this fear—which he thinks may impact any political party—is the reason why there is currently reluctance to completely outlaw mining.

He justified the government’s prudence, saying that politicians frequently worry about losing votes, especially in areas where galamsey is common.

“We did it as a party and as a government before the 2020 elections. And if you can recount, all our seats in the mining communities that we were trying to control, we lost all the seats, the parliamentary seats there.

“So do you think for the second time, if we say we want to break the 8 and people are crying for that ban, the current government will have the guts or will find it necessary to put a ban on it?

“The fear of losing power [is delaying the ban] and that fear can happen to any party at all.” He said.