Investigative Journalist, Manasseh Azure Awuni has described as a “joke” President Akufo Addo’s recent engagement with stakeholders in the Ashanti Region to reiterate his government’s commitment to the fight against illegal mining (galamsey).
He explained that the meeting involving representatives of the National House of Chiefs was needless because chiefs in the country have their own issues beyond galamsey.
According to the investigative journalist, “even the stupidest person in Akufo-Addo’s cabinet knows the solution to the galamsey problem.”
Manasseh Azure who was unhappy seeing the president assemble chiefs over the development could not fathom why the meeting was not staged at a concert house instead of the Manhyia Palace.
He was however quick to declare that he was happy to have noticed the absence of the Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II at “that joke of a meeting.”
In a Facebook post, the vibrant and outspoken media practitioner in his view believes the Commander-in-Chief of the Ghana Armed Forces who deploys his men to supervise and guard this illegal practice in the country is incompetent.
“The problem is that the Commander-in-Chief of the Ghana Armed Forces is not serious about the fight. Who deploys the soldiers to supervise and guard illegal mining and licensed illegal mining activities?
“Who appoints the defence minister and the CDS? Who appoints the Regional Ministers and MMDCEs, who chair the regional and district security councils?
“If they are all failing, why do we blame the chiefs? Does Akufo-Addo need permission from the chiefs to fire an appointee who is not doing his or her work?” Mr. Azure questioned.
