Founder and leader of the United Progressive Party (UPP), Akwasi Addai Odike has no confidence in President Nana Akufo-Addo’s promise to stop galamsey.

Speaking to Umaru Sanda Amadu in an interview on Face to Face on Citi TV, Mr. Odike said President Akufo-Addo has proven to be ineffective.

“Do we call this man [Akufo-Addo] a president? He is not in charge. I saw Aisha Huang at the airport when she was about to be deported on TV. And now the President claims he is unsure whether the lady was deported. It tells us that the President is not in charge of the affairs of this country. The country is on autopilot. When you wake up, thank your God that you are alive because we do not have a leader.”

He thinks nothing will come out of the President’s proclamation that the Attorney General has his full support to prosecute notorious Chinese galamsey qeen, Aisha Huang.

“Akufo-Addo coming out to support the Attorney-General for the prosecution of Aisha Huang means nothing. Let’s see how it unfolds. We are only going to have her back at the galamsey site. I can tell you on authority now that Aisha Huang is living comfortably. She is not in the grip of the police. She is at the BNI headquarters, living a very good life.”

“From all indications of his presidency so far, he is incompetent. The chiefs are no better, they are also accomplices to galamsey,” he added.

Mr. Odike made the remarks on the back of recent discussions surrounding the re-arrest of Aisha Huang who was kicked out of Ghana in 2018 for engaging in illegal mining.

In a radio interview in Ho on Monday, the President said he was not sure whether Aisha Huang was actually deported or fled.

The comment raised eyebrows in Ghana, with many questioning the President’s briefings on the matter.

The Ministry of Information subsequently clarified the President’s comment and insisted that Aisha was actually repatriated in 2018.