The People’s National Convention (PNC) has called on government to extend invitations to minority political parties in the national conversation around galamsey. The call was made by PNC National Chairman, Sampson Asaki Awingobit, during a courtesy call on Radio Gold.
Speaking on the sidelines of the visit, Mr. Awingobit acknowledged the efforts of the current administration in stabilizing the economy and intensifying the fight against illegal mining but emphasized that inclusive governance must go beyond civil society engagement.
“Our duty is to critique the government when it’s due or to applaud the government when it’s due,” Awingobit stated, adding that: “Nine months into office, the government has done extremely well. Inflation is down to 9.4%, interest rates have dropped, and the cedi is relatively stable.”
He further commended the establishment of NAIMOS (National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat) as a bold step in combating illegal mining. However, he warned that exclusive engagement with only civil society organisations (CSOs) could undercut broader national consensus.
“The same energy used in inviting CSOs should be extended to minority political parties. This fight must be a Ghanaian one, and political parties also represent Ghanaians,” he argued.
Mr. Awingobit stressed that minority parties may not always be in agreement with the government, but their perspectives and grassroots insights could enrich policy execution and improve national buy-in.
“You may not like our faces or our actions, but you’ll find many minority political parties ready to support this government’s galamsey programme,” he insisted.
He urged President Mahama to institutionalize dialogue with all political actors, saying that such engagements would foster transparency and strengthen national unity in dealing with one of Ghana’s most pressing environmental crises.
