President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has revealed that he has taken significant political risks, even putting his presidency at stake, in the ongoing battle against illegal mining, commonly known as galamsey.

Since his commitment to tackle the issue in 2017, his efforts have faced substantial criticism.

Speaking during his 'Thank You Tour' in the Northeast Region on Tuesday, October 15, President Akufo-Addo reiterated his resolve to eliminate galamsey, affirming that he stands by his promise and is willing to face any consequences as a result.

He expressed disappointment over the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) poor performance in mining communities during the 2020 elections, attributing the decline to propaganda spread by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate, John Dramani Mahama.

The president pointed out that the NPP’s support almost collapsed in key mining areas, particularly in the Western Region.“In the last election [2020] in the mining districts of the country, the NPP did very badly largely because the NDC presidential candidate and the party had gone around the mining areas and said that the policy that I was implementing of trying to stop galamsey would be reversed when he comes to power and that those who were already in jail for offences, the galamsey offences, all of them would be amnestied.

“When I said I was putting my presidency on the line, that’s what I meant, that I was prepared to take the political risk involved in trying to deal with this galamsey phenomenon. The result, of course, was that the mining districts, especially in the Western region, all of them, including almost nearly even Tarkwa, were lost to the NPP.

“That is what I meant when I said I’m putting my presidency on the line, that I was prepared to take the political risk involved in coming to grips with this problem.”

He then challenged Mahama to clarify his position on galamsey.

“Today, he [Mahama] said that, no, he doesn’t believe in jail, that he’s against galamsey, and he will enforce the law. So once again, we have to ask ourselves, Mr. JM, where do you stand? What are you telling the people of Ghana? Because every time you speak, you speak from one corner of your mouth and you speak from another corner of your mouth.”