Energy analyst and NPP member Kwadwo Poku has accused the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) of undermining efforts to tackle illegal mining, commonly known as galamsey, during former President Akufo-Addo’s administration.

Speaking on JoyNews’ Newsfile programme on Saturday, September 27, 2025, he alleged that the NDC overturned initiatives introduced by the NPP to curb the menace while they were in opposition and craved for power.

"Nana Addo and the NPP had a very big fight. Nana Addo actually did a statement and said he will stake his presidency in fighting galamsey, " he said.

"What happened around the 2020 election? The NDC went around the mining communities to tell them, 'Do you see what they are doing to you?' If we were to be in power, we would not do that to you, we would not stop the mining that they stopped, we would not let what Operation Vanguard is doing....."

"NPP is trying to do the right thing, NDC had gone in before the election to tell the people, look, vote us in and we will let you do what you want to do and that carried forward to 2024," he alleged.

He added that former President Akufo-Addo’s firm stance against illegal mining resulted in the governing party losing several parliamentary seats in mining communities during the 2020 elections. "When we went to the polls in 2020 we lost majority of our seats in mining areas."

"Upper Denkyera West is predominantly an NPP seat but is is a heavy mining area, we have lost that seat in first time in 2020 because the galamsey people were going around giving money to people in that area to vote against NPP," he added.