Afenyo-Markin Blames Politicization for Stalled Galamsey Fight, Calls for National Unity
Minority Leader and Effutu MP Alexander Afenyo-Markin has decried the escalating politicization of Ghana’s battle against illegal mining (galamsey), attributing it to divisive 2020 election rhetoric that undermined efforts and cost the New Patriotic Party (NPP) support in mining areas.
Speaking at the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) seminar on Ghana’s natural resource management regime on October 7, 2025, Afenyo-Markin urged a collective shift beyond partisan blame: “If we do the blame game thing, we will not get anywhere… Frankly speaking, I think we all failed our nation.”
Afenyo-Markin pointed to NDC campaign messaging portraying the NPP as “taking your food away,” which he said fueled resistance in mining communities and perpetuated the cycle of inaction.
He advocated for a “whole national orientation” transcending NPP-NDC divides, emphasizing that galamsey’s devastation—polluting water bodies, destroying farmlands, and threatening public health—demands unified resolve: “We have to let the authorities know that we have no other alternatives; this must stop.”
His remarks, amid ongoing probes like Chairman Wontumi’s October 7 trial for illegal mining, echo calls from civil society for depoliticized action. Afenyo-Markin, who previously warned against blaming solely the Akufo-Addo era and urged youth-led reforms, reiterated that galamsey endangers Ghana’s future, urging collaboration over rhetoric.
The IEA event highlighted resource governance gaps, with stakeholders pressing for urgent, cross-party measures to halt the environmental crisis.
