Former President John Mahama has asked President NanaAkufo-Addo to resign for failing to ensure that illegal mining popularly known as galamsey has been ended in the country.

The NDC flagbearer said this will be in line with a promise by the President to vacate his seat if he failed to tackle the canker.

“Akufo-Addo has failed when it comes to the fight against 'galamsey' and so if he has put his tenure on the line then he probably shouldn’t be running for the next presidency, he should be resigning now,” he said.

In an interview, on Joy Prime, the NDC Presidential Candidate stressed that Akufo-Addo's 'Operation Vanguard' has been one of the poorest response to illegal mining in the country.

President Akufo-Addo, before assuming office in 2017, promised to end galamsey in the country.

The president put his presidency on the line with a commitment to end the illegal small scale mining in the country.

Rallying Ghana’s traditional leaders together he said if there is one right thing to be done, that thing is for all to fight galamsey, reclaim the lands and leave for posterity a “green country” and a “clean space.”

He introduced Operation Vanguard [a task force set up by government to combat galamsey in the country], as well as the Community Mining Program which is to ensure safe and responsible mining in the country.

These were part of measures to combat illegal mining in the country.

In his 2020 State Of the Nation’s Address to Parliament, the President lauded his government for achievements in the fight, though he admitted that there are still some challenges that need to be addressed.

But Mr Mahama said employing military force has never been the right approach in combatting illegal mining.

"In our time, we also used that approach but we realised it didn't lead to anything positive. That is not the right way to do it. You cannot use force of arms to combact illegal mining," he said.

The former President added that water bodies are still being polluted, while lands and other natural resources are also being depleted from activities of galamsey.

Mr Mahama said the NPP government has performed abysmally in terms of galamsey fight.

He said fighting galamsey required good policies and ensuring their enforcement.

"So you need to bring in some incentives and bring better supervision to the sector," he added.