The Deputy Eastern regional organiser of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), David Dakudzi has hit back at the New Patriotic Party (NPP) for claiming the NDC was orchestrating the collapse of small-scale mining.

According to the party official, the claims by the NPP are only an attempt to score cheap political goals in the run-up to the December, 7 polls.

Addressing NDC supporters at Topreman in the Akwatia constituency of the Eastern Region, David Dakudzi explained that officials of the NDC who mounted campaign platforms have rather insisted on responsible and sustainable mining.

Reacting to allegations by Effiduase-Asokore, MP, Dr. Nana Ayew Afriyie that the NDC has invaded mining areas with expatriates to embark on illegal mining in a bid to make the government unpopular ahead of the polls, Mr. Dakudzi asked the people to treat such claims with the contempt it deserves.

"I was shocked when I heard that the NDC was the one orchestrating the collapse of mining. We in NDC have not advocated for anything like that. We know the importance of mining. But what we're saying is that we shouldn't be irresponsible when we are given the license to mine. We must do everything possible as miners to protect our water bodies and forest reserves. That's all what we've been talking about.

Today, our calls for responsible mining have been misinterpreted to be a call for the collapse of small-scale mining. How can anybody be dishonest like that?" he quizzed.

He called out the NPP for misleading a section of the small-scale miners who were assembled in Akwatia from Konongo and other parts of the Ashanti region.

"About three weeks ago, they brought some small-scale miners from Konongo to Akwatia and during the meeting with the miners, they lied to them that the NDC was against mining. I want to assure these miners that we're not against mining. It's a deliberate propaganda by the NPP because they know they have lost grounds and therefore wants to do everything possible to revive their dead campaign," he said