Minister for Communication, Digital Technology, and Innovations, Samuel Nartey George, has elucidated that his previous critiques of the Akufo-Addo administration’s approach to illegal mining, commonly referred to as galamsey, were contingent upon a particular timeframe.
The Minister had previously indicated that any competent President could address the galamsey issue within a week, a statement that ignited discussions regarding the efficacy of successive administrations in tackling the problem.
In an interview conducted on Monday, September 29, 2025, Mr. George articulated that his remarks were made after nearly eight years of the Akufo-Addo government’s initiatives, which, in his opinion, should have produced more favorable outcomes.
“Everything is placed within a context. I made those statements almost 8 years into Akufo-Addo’s administration. They had galamsey operations; they had established committees. Therefore, I believed that with all of that effort over nearly eight years, he should have been able to resolve it. Thus, it was in that context,” he clarified.
The Minister’s explanation arises amidst renewed scrutiny of the Mahama administration regarding its own challenges in combating illegal mining.
