Former Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Inusah Fuseini, has criticized President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for his recent call on former President John Mahama to clarify his stance on illegal mining, commonly known as galamsey.
Fuseini accused the president of politicising the fight against the menace.
During his ‘Thank You Tour’ in the North East Region on Tuesday, October 15, President Akufo-Addo accused Mahama of making contradictory and inconsistent statements on the issue of galamsey and urged him to take a clear and firm position.
In response, Inusah Fuseini, in an interview on Eyewitness News dismissed the president’s accusations and defended Mahama’s track record.
He highlighted that the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has a well-defined vision for managing the mining sector, particularly small-scale mining, and accused President Akufo-Addo of deliberately misrepresenting Mahama’s position for political gain.
“Looking at it legally or politically, the NDC is on firm ground in its vision for the mining sector, particularly small-scale mining. Hence, it is not true that John Dramani Mahama has not stated his position. Let me hasten to add that what His Excellency the President is doing is shamelessly politicising the issue,” he stated.
He further criticised the president’s approach to the galamsey crisis, calling it a dereliction of duty. Fuseini referenced the President’s oath of office, highlighting that as the head of state, Akufo-Addo is constitutionally bound to uphold the country’s laws, including the Minerals and Mining Act (Act 703).
“On January 7, 2021, when His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwa-Akufo-Addo, was swearing the oath of office on the Bible, he swore to uphold the laws of this country. He did not take the oath with anybody. He took it to be the president of this country and to uphold the laws. Minerals and Mining Act 703 is part of the laws of this county. So, it is a manifestation of dereliction of duty for a president to say that he needs other political parties to sign a pact when Article 58 of the constitution vests executive authority in him. When has sworn the oath of office to uphold the law of this country?
“So, Mr. President, if you are listening to Citi FM, your statement marks a dereliction of duty. You are attempting to pass the back to your political opponent and shamelessly politicising the issues of galamsey which is affecting the lives of people and is an existential threat, and affecting farms,” he stated.
