Ghana: Mills Promises to Streamline Galamsey Operations
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Ghanaian Chronicle (Accra)
17 July 2008
Posted to the web 17 July 2008
THE FLAGBEARER of the main opposition party, the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Professor John Fiifi Atta Mills, has accused the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) of being the cause of the rift between illegal miners, and mining companies in the country.
According to him, the NDC, during their tenure of office, put in place measures that would ensure that both sides undertook their activities without difficulties, but said the same situation cannot be said of today.
Professor Mills was addressing NDC supporters in Obuasi, on Monday, as part of the party's campaign tour of the Ashanti Region.
Among his delegation were Madam Ama Benyiwa Doe, Messrs Daniel Ohene Agyekum and Kwaku Anyidaho, the party's National Women Organizer, Ashanti Regional Chairman and Prof. Mills' Spokesperson respectively.
He described as unfortunate, the situation where soldiers and policemen are used by mining companies, to harass illegal miners, popularly referred to as 'galamseyers,' adding, "when we were in power, police and soldiers were not chasing 'galamseyers,' that is why I am pleading with you to vote us back to power."
According to him, the situation has increasingly become so, because the NPP had abandoned the measures the NDC put in place, and questioned, "Are our brothers in the galamsey business not Ghanaians?"
He, therefore, appealed to the constituents, especially the galamsey people, to vote massively for the NDC come December 7, so that "we can bring those good measures back."
Professor Mills, who was ushered into the municipality, by a very huge crowd of NDC supporters, explained that he refused to accept the national award conferred on him by the state, because of the way he was insulted by members of the NPP after he was nominated.
"My nomination for the award brought about confusion in the NPP, and as a man of peace, and someone who has the nation at heart, I decided not to go for the award just for calm to prevail." He described as baseless, rumours that he was being controlled by former President Jerry John Rawlings, and argued that at the time he was teaching and passing people to become lawyers, "did I consult Mr. Rawlings before doing that."
The NDC flagbearer used the occasion to introduce the party's parliamentary candidate for Obuasi, Mr. Alexander Kwabena Ackon, to the supporters
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Mr. Ackon, a former employee of AngloGold Ashanti (AGA), Obuasi Mine, appealed to the people of Obuasi, to vote for him in the forthcoming general elections.
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Copyright © 2008 Ghanaian Chronicle. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). To contact the copyright holder directly for corrections -- or for permission to republish or make other authorized use of this material, click here.
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