The Member of Parliament for Akyem Oda, Alexander Akwasi Acquah, has expressed support for New Patriotic Party (NPP) Communications Director Dennis Edward Aboagye, popularly known as Miracles Aboagye, following his heated exchange with a representative of the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) during a discussion on illegal mining on JoyNews.
Mr Acquah, a former Deputy Minister of Health, said the incident on Saturday’s edition of Newsfile reflect the frustration faced by people involved in the fight against illegal mining, particularly when attempting to explain the challenges associated with the menace.
Reacting to the incident, the MP suggested that the galamsey problem had become so difficult to contain that even those making efforts to protect the country’s natural resources are facing considerable challenges.
He said he could relate to the frustration, having personally encountered hostility in the course of his efforts to protect water bodies affected by illegal mining.
According to him, he had been subjected to curses, locally known as “duabo”, while working to protect a river from the destructive activities of illegal miners.
“What happened on Newsfile on Joy this morning during discussions on galamsey reflects the kind of frustration government persons are enduring in trying to explain away the issues of galamsey, which has gotten out of hand,” he said.
Mr Acquah also encouraged Miracles Aboagye not to be discouraged by the incident, insisting that traditional authorities and the Ghanaian public are behind efforts to tackle illegal mining.
“Miracles, God be with you, Nananom are with you and the whole Ghanaian public is with you. Okay, let’s keep on the fight,” he added.
Mr Acquah’s comments followed a heated exchange between Miracles Aboagye, who represented the NPP, and Bernard Bediako Baidoo, representing the NDC, during Saturday’s edition of Newsfile.
The discussion centred on the performance of successive governments in tackling illegal mining and the extent to which the current administration has made progress in addressing the problem.
During the programme, Miracles Aboagye brought three bottles of visibly polluted water to the studio, claiming they were collected from areas affected by illegal mining.
He used the samples to challenge the government’s efforts, arguing that the Mahama administration had not achieved even half of what the previous Akufo-Addo government accomplished in the fight against galamsey.
However, Bernard Bediako Baidoo pushed back against the criticism, defending the government’s record and pointing to the prosecution of prominent individuals, including NPP Ashanti Regional Chairman Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi.
The exchange soon became heated as the two representatives traded accusations and personal remarks, with tensions rising during the live broadcast.
The situation nearly descended into a physical confrontation, forcing host Samson Lardy Anyenini and members of the production team to step in to restore order.
The incident has once again highlighted the deep political disagreements surrounding Ghana’s fight against illegal mining.
Although both the NPP and NDC have repeatedly pledged to tackle galamsey, the two parties continue to disagree over the effectiveness of their respective approaches and their records in dealing with the problem.
Illegal mining remains a major environmental concern, with its activities contributing to the destruction of forest reserves, pollution of rivers and degradation of farmlands.
Mr Acquah’s reaction has added another voice to the debate, drawing attention to the difficulties faced by individuals who are actively involved in efforts to protect the country’s natural resources.
His message to Miracles Aboagye is one of encouragement, urging him and others committed to the cause not to give up despite the challenges.
By 1960news.com
