The Minority in Parliament has accused the government of gross incompetence in its handling of illegal mining, insisting that claims of progress in the fight against galamsey are contradicted by worsening environmental destruction and declining public confidence.

Speaking during a debate on the floor of Parliament, Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin said the government’s approach to tackling illegal mining has been ineffective and damaging, allowing the problem to escalate rather than diminish.

“We have been told that great strides have been made in combating galamsey,” the lawmaker said.

"But the reality is that the fight against galamsey has been abandoned."

According to the Minority, the lack of effective enforcement has allowed illegal mining activities to flourish, with severe consequences for the country’s natural resources and rural livelihoods.

“It has been allowed to flourish unchecked, devastating our forests, poisoning our rivers, and destroying the livelihoods of our farmers,” the MP stated.

The Minority argued that the scale of destruction reflects a failure of leadership and coordination across state institutions.

“This is not just an environmental crisis; it is a governance crisis,” the MP said. “What we are witnessing is national self-sabotage.”

He accused the government of prioritising short-term gains over long-term national interest.

“We are monetising the destruction of our environment and the debt of our future,” he added, warning that the consequences will be felt for generations.

The Minority stressed that Parliament cannot remain silent in the face of what it described as systemic failure.

“This House has a solemn and non-negotiable duty to act,” the MP said. “We must insist on full, transparent, and immediate accountability.”

He welcomed the Speaker’s decision to admit a Minority motion to interrogate government’s handling of the galamsey menace.

“We must demand answers to the questions the nation is asking,” he said, insisting that responsibility must be clearly established.

The Minority maintains that without decisive action and accountability, public trust in the government’s ability to protect the environment will continue to erode.