Former Sekondi MP and Minister for Tourism, Andrew Egyapa Mercer, has expressed deep disappointment with President John Dramani Mahama’s handling of issues related to illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey.

According to him, the President’s recent responses during a media encounter failed to inspire confidence in the government’s ability to tackle the menace.

Speaking on Metro TV on Friday, September 12, Mr. Mercer criticised what he described as inconsistencies in the government’s approach.

“I was extremely disappointed with President Mahama's responses on how his government is dealing with galamsey. They banned the importation of excavators, and now you see these excavators,” he remarked.

The former legislator noted that the presence of excavators on illegal mining sites raised questions about enforcement and accountability.

He argued that such contradictions undermine the fight against environmental degradation and threaten the country’s water bodies, farmlands, and forests.

Mr. Mercer urged the government to adopt a more credible and transparent approach in addressing the galamsey challenge.

He stressed that without decisive leadership and strict enforcement of laws, the problem would persist, adding that the livelihoods of millions of Ghanaians and the nation’s ecological future were at stake.