Kofi Akpaloo, founder and head of the Liberal Party of Ghana, the NPP administration led by President Akufo-Addo would have a difficult time winning the battle against unlawful mining (galamsey).
He claims that the rural population of Ghana is primarily motivated by poverty and that mining is the main means of subsistence, making it impossible to eradicate the canker.
He argued that the only way to curb people’s unlawful mining activities was to provide them with alternatives.
“We must put measures in place, we must give galamseyers alternatives thus; either we pay them or find them sustainable jobs.” He stated in a recent interview.
If his party wins power in 2024, as Kofi Akpaloo has promised, all galamseyers would pool their resources to establish a massive mining business, which, he claims, will put an end to the illicit mining problem.
“If LPG wins power, we’ll mobilize all galamseyers to add up their monies to form a big capital in order for them to compete with big mining companies in the country,” Akpaloo said.
Foreigners, he said, had taken over the country’s major concessions, something that would never happen in their own nations. As a consequence, LPG will ensure that indigenous people rule the country’s mining industry.
“LPG will see to it that; the locals overtake the mining sector.”
He, however, chastised President Nana Addo’s approach in the galamsey fight, stating that, he is joking.
Akufo-Addo’s approach to fighting galamsey is funny, he is not serious. “
“If we’re serious in the fight against galamsey, let’s mobilize the youth to combine their capital. If we get about 1 million galamseyers, to bring 200 dollars each, it will be 200million dollars, they can start a big mining company in the country, thereby halting galamsey,” Akpaloo advised.