Professor Kwame Karikari has stated that political parties in Ghana are reluctant to prioritize the fight against illegal mining, known as galamsey, due to fears of losing votes in the upcoming elections.

He explained that while these parties continue to engage with citizens and seek their support for the December 7th elections, they are not addressing the menace of galamsey because some politicians benefit from the illicit activity.

“For the 9th time, Ghanaians are preparing to vote in the 4th Republic, to elect a president and parliamentarians. The major political parties, along with a few new entrants, are clamoring for votes, but what is the nature, character, and core promise of democracy in the 4th Republic? In an election campaign, political parties refuse to address major issues like galamsey because they fear losing votes, as their leaders and financiers are beneficiaries of it,” Prof. Karikari asserted.

Prof. Karikari, leader of the Friends of Akoto Ampaw, also questioned the state of Ghana’s democracy, saying, “I’m sure we all have many questions about the democracy of the 4th Republic.”

He made these remarks at the first public lecture held in honor of the late human rights lawyer, Akoto Ampaw, who passed away a year ago.

The event, held on Wednesday, October 23, 2024, at the University of Ghana (UG), was organized by Friends of Akoto Ampaw in collaboration with the Centre for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana) and the Institute of African Studies at UG.

The lecture, themed “The Problems of Ghana’s 4th Republic,” featured discussions on the topic “The Crisis of Civic Citizenship in Contemporary Ghanaian Democracy: Lessons from the Life and Times of the Late A. Akoto Ampaw.”