Mr. Franklin Cudjoe, the President of IMANI Africa, has expressed strong discontent with President Nana Akufo-Addo’s handling of the galamsey crisis in Ghana, criticizing the leader’s apparent inaction on the issue.
During an interview on Citi FM monitored by Plan B News, Cudjoe stated, “If this president was serious and was really minded to deal with this matter, he would have done so long ago.”
His comments come amidst increasing frustration from citizens and civil society groups regarding illegal mining and its environmental impact.
Cudjoe pointed out that even at a recent Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) program, where the GJA president and other attendees implored the president to take decisive action against galamsey, Akufo-Addo failed to respond.
“He just read his speech and left the place,” Cudjoe lamented, emphasizing the president’s indifference to the concerns raised by the public.
The IMANI Africa leader noted that it wasn’t until organized labour threatened to go on strike that the president seemed to show urgency in addressing the galamsey issue.
Cudjoe remarked, “No! It just cannot be. I don’t think the president is serious any longer by the way. I am just waiting for him to leave office.” This sentiment reflects the frustration felt by many Ghanaians who feel their voices are not being heard by the government.
Expressing disappointment at what he perceives as the president’s dismissive attitude, Cudjoe stated, “I feel so disappointed and disgusted that this president will be disrespectful of people’s views and opinions as if we don’t even exist.”
He firmly believes that the president has allowed the galamsey crisis to worsen, suggesting a lack of proactive leadership on a matter that continues to threaten the environment and public health.
Cudjoe did not hold back in his critique, asserting that “nothing he writes, nothing he says is worth its salt.”
He encouraged the public to disregard the president’s statements regarding galamsey and called for continued action against illegal mining practices, saying that the people should “go ahead” with their protests and demands for accountability.
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