Dr. Tony Aidoo, former Senior Presidential Aide and Head of the Policy Evaluation and Oversight Unit under the late President John Evans Atta Mills, has issued a strong caution to the current NDC government, led by President John Dramani Mahama, to tackle illegal mining (galamsey) head-on—or risk electoral backlash in the 2028 general elections.
In an interview on Joy News on Thursday, July 17, Dr. Aidoo stressed that Ghanaians would not forgive broken promises, especially regarding the galamsey menace, which continues to ravage farmlands, contaminate rivers, and endanger livelihoods nationwide.
“If the goodwill that Ghanaians have shown the NDC is wasted, it will be because of inaction on galamsey and corruption. Failing to deliver on that promise would be a betrayal. You can’t take Ghanaians for granted,” he asserted.
Drawing a comparison to the previous NPP administration, Dr. Aidoo criticized former President Nana Akufo-Addo’s approach to illegal mining, describing it as indifferent. He called on President Mahama to avoid making the same missteps.
“Akufo-Addo clearly didn’t care, but Mahama must understand that Ghanaians do. If he fails to resolve the galamsey problem, the people will vote the NDC out in 2028,” he cautioned.
According to Dr. Aidoo, the timeline for action is short but sufficient.
“Six months is enough to end galamsey. While initiatives like the Blue Water Guards and the GoldBoard Taskforce are commendable, they must be followed by concrete action. The galamsey must stop,” he added.
