Deputy spokesperson of the John Mahama campaign, Beatrice Annan, says former President Mahama will never endorse illegal mining popularly known as ‘galamsey’.

She stated that former President Mahama holds the position that ‘galamsey’ is illegal and will never promote it in any circumstances.

Mr. Mahama addressing branch and constituency executives of Atewa West and East during his 3-day Eastern regional tour said the Akufo-Addo government arrested and jailed young people who are not NPP.

He also accused the government of seizing excavators belonging to NDC members and handed over to NPP members.

But Madam Beatrice Annan clarified this on Eyewitness News with Umaru Sanda Amadu, saying “Nowhere did former President Mahama endorsed galamsey. He said that young people in the country when they engage in galamsey, they are not punished as citizens, but they are punished on the basis of political party lines. And so if you were an NPP person engaged in galamsey, you are guaranteed to be pitched against the law. That’s why President Mahama is saying that whether you are NPP or NDC when you engage in illegal mining you must face the full rigours of the law. The position of the former President is that galamsey will remain illegal”.

According to her, Mr. Mahama’s comment was in reference to small-scale miners who could either be members of CPP, NPP or NDC who were wrongly arrested by the government.

She denied that the former President endorsed the activities of illegal miners who are members of the NDC.

“Former President Mahama said that until the Akufo-Addo’s government came into power, small-scale mining has been something that every Ghanaian irrespective of their political colours was allowed to engage in, which is not illegal because the law permits it. But they have politicised it and that if you were a small-scale miner, there was a 99% probability that you are an NPP which is not good”.

The deputy spokesperson for John Mahama campaign added that “Mr. Mahama said that those who engage in small-scale mining is immaterial of what one’s party colours are, as long as you qualify, you should be allowed to do the small-scale mining”.

She further claimed that Mr. Mahama was condemning the government for handing over equipment belonging to illegal miners to NPP members to engage in the same act.

“Former President Mahama said that all citizens whether CPP, NDC or NPP, their concessions were taken away and given to NPP. People who engage in galamsey which is illegal mining, had their excavators seized because they engaged in illegal mining. These excavators were given to NPP members to engage in the same illegal mining. That is the statement he [Mahama] made,” Madam Beatrice Annan clarified.

“Galamsey issues should be devoid of partisan politics,” she opined.

The Director of Communications of NPP, Richard Ahiagbah lambasted the former President for his comments.