The New Patriotic Party (NPP) plans to make illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey, a central issue in its campaign for the 2028 general elections, Minority Chief Whip and Nsawam-Adoagyiri MP Frank Annoh-Dompreh has disclosed.
Mr Annoh-Dompreh said the party’s decision would be driven not only by political considerations but also by the growing threat illegal mining poses to Ghana’s water resources, livelihoods and public welfare.
He made the remarks on Saturday, August 15, after casting his ballot at the Pep Sports Complex in Asamankese during the NPP’s Eastern Regional executive elections.
Speaking to Citi News, the legislator said the environmental consequences of illegal mining had become too serious to be treated merely as a campaign talking point.
“Galamsey will form the core of the narrative of our campaign in 2028,” he said.
Mr Annoh-Dompreh stressed that the NPP’s renewed focus on the issue would not be simply a response to how the National Democratic Congress (NDC) had previously campaigned on illegal mining.
Rather, he said, the party would highlight the impact of galamsey on critical water bodies and the consequences for communities that depend on them.
He cited the Birim River as an example, warning that continued destruction of the country’s rivers could create serious challenges for access to safe water.
“Water is life. If today the Birim River is destroyed and we can’t even get water, we need to talk about it. It is not just about campaign. It’s about survival, it’s about livelihood, it’s about humanity,” he said.
The comments signal the likelihood of illegal mining becoming a major environmental and policy issue in the NPP’s preparations for the 2028 elections.
Mr Annoh-Dompreh maintained that protecting Ghana’s water bodies should be viewed as a national priority, regardless of political affiliation.
