Former Member of Parliament for Ablekuma Central, Ebenezer Gilbert Nii Narh Nartey, has declared that the battle against illegal mining, galamsey, is effectively over, accusing both the government and civil society organisations (CSOs) of abandoning the cause.

He expressed frustration over what he perceives as a collapse in momentum: “We are wasting our time and energy; we can’t fight galamsey,” he stated during an interview on Adom FM’s morning show, Dwaso Nsem.

Nartey further accused CSO leaders of betraying their mandate by accepting government positions and silencing themselves.

“Those CSO leaders who were loud about galamsey have now been offered positions in government, and they’ve gone quiet,” he claimed, adding, “They are no longer speaking for the ordinary Ghanaian.”

He issued a strong warning: if the New Patriotic Party (NPP) returns to power in 2028, he expects that CSOs and organised labour will refrain from criticising them.

Nartey concluded: “I don’t respect any of these groups anymore. They’ve shown they are just political animals, not genuine advocates for the people.”