The former Member of Parliament (MP) for Sissala East, Amidu Chinnia Issahaku, has stated that the galamsey message formed a major part of the National Democratic Congress’s (NDC’s) campaign which contributed significantly to their victory in the 2024 elections.

In a recent interview, he said the message convinced many Ghanaians that the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government had failed, which politically benefited the NDC.

“If you check the 2024 elections, one of the major issues that NDCs hanged on that gave the leverage that people believe them, I mean they all took the position that it was the NPP government that was failing. The votes they got in 2024, galamsey was a huge part that of the campaign that affected the NPP and benefited the NDC,” he stated.

Mr Amidu said that, given this advantage, the public expected the NDC government to take drastic, action‑oriented steps to tackle galamsey.

He added that, the situation has worsened, the degradation of land, forests and water bodies has intensified.

He also alleged that some NDC MPs and Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Chief Executives are involved in galamsey activities. He claimed that NDC officials responsible for the drip machines the NPP government purchased for road construction, are allowing the machines to be used at galamsey sites.

Mr Amidu urged the NDC government to do better in view of the mandate it received from the people of Ghana.

“Was it not in Prestea where a member of Parliament of the NDC went fighting when some illegal galamsey people were arrested and an MP from the NDC went fighting for their release, in the Ahafo did you not hear an MP who went there fighting for galamseyers who were arrested by the security? These are know facts,” he said.