Dr Cadman Mills, brother of the late President John Atta Mills, has criticised the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government over its handling of illegal gold mining, popularly known as galamsey.

Speaking on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show on Tuesday, he said the administration appears conflicted in the fight against the menace.

"I see, and maybe I am wrong, but I don't think I am, that the government is a little conflicted in its fight against galamsey. It is not taking it seriously," he said on the show.

He said the government is conflicted because "The benefit that clearly the government is receiving because they are diverting the foreign exchange that have gone into unofficial channels into the official channels is doing a lot to stabilise the value of the cedi so that is one of the reasons why the government is little bit conflicted about it (fight against galamsey)," he explained.

His remarks follow mounting pressure on the government to declare a state of emergency to curb environmental destruction, a move President John Mahama has so far resisted.

Dr Mills, who had earlier condemned the situation on social media, recounted the devastating impact of galamsey in his home region, the Western Region and other parts of the country.