John Boadu alleges NDC condemned galamsey publicly, endorsed privately

Ahafo ASHANTI BONO EAST BRONG AHAFO CENTRAL Culture EASTERN Greater Accra NORTH EAST NORTHERN OTI SAVANNAH UPPER EAST UPPER WEST WESTERN WESTERN NORTH

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The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has faced allegations from its critics for publicly condemning galamsey—illegal small-scale mining—while secretly failing to take firm action in government, effectively endorsing the menace in private, according to political insiders and minority lawmakers. Although there is no record of General Secretary Johnson Asiedu Nketiah or other NDC frontline figures directly admitting this, the accusation is rooted in a broader critique of hypocrisy and policy failure as Ghana struggles with escalating environmental damage.

The Minority in Parliament, acting through Ranking Member Kwaku Ampratwum-Sarpong, sharply condemned the government—led by NDC—as engaging in a “grand deception.” Despite publicly decrying galamsey, the Minority claims the administration has, in reality, allowed the crisis to deepen through inaction and selective enforcement. They claim that at least GHS 50 million was allocated in the 2025 budget for anti-galamsey efforts, yet measures remain mostly symbolic with little impact in rivers like Yonkamba near President Mahama’s own constituency in Bole.

Observers point to damage across numerous water bodies and forests—especially in areas such as Bole Bamboi and other Ashanti and Western mining belts—as evidence that public condemnation has not translated into effective policy. The NDC is accused of co-opting galamsey operators via political patronage, blunting enforcement while leveraging the issue tactically during opposition campaigns.

A communications official from the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), Richard Ahiagbah, has backed these allegations, accusing the NDC of actively fueling galamsey through counter-political messaging, meant to portray the NPP as ineffective—all while exploiting access to power to shield illicit mining actors.

The broader political narrative now centers on whether the NDC’s vocal stance against galamsey during opposition years concealed covert tolerance—or even tacit collaboration—with mining interests once in power. While John Boadu, General Secretary of the NPP, has at times endorsed hardline enforcement methods such as burning illicit excavators, he also refuted allegations of involvement in galamsey, insisting the accusations are politically driven smear campaigns.

Political Implications & Public Trust

• Policy disconnect: Critics argue there’s a growing chasm between anti-galamsey rhetoric and on-the-ground enforcement. Rivers remain polluted, agricultural lands degraded, and community health compromised.
• Electoral risk: The NDC represents many cocoa and mining-prone constituencies where voters expect decisive action. Failure to act may undercut support in future elections.
• Credibility gap: International partners, civil society groups like TUC and UTAG, and watchdogs have expressed frustration with government initiatives such as “Goldbod,” branding them insufficient to counter entrenched environmental threats.

What Accountability Looks Like

Opposition calls now demand the NDC move beyond photo ops and performative commitments. They insist on:

• Transparent investigation into alleged complicity by party affiliates.
• Rigorous enforcement of existing mining laws, including seizure of illegal equipment and prosecution of offenders.
• Community engagement and alternative livelihoods to deter youth from informal mining, coupled with industrial planning and responsible, small-scale mining frameworks.

Without visible policy shifts and durable impact, critics say the NDC’s moral capital on galamsey will continue to erode—turning once-powerful public condemnation into plans abandoned once in office.

Tagged as:
accountability in mining policy counter‑political messaging environmental policy failure Ghana water bodies crisis illegal mining Ghana John Boadu allegations Minority condemnation NDC NDC galamsey hypocrisy parliamentary accusations galamsey political endorsement galamsey

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