Professor Kwame Karikari has stated that political parties in Ghana are reluctant to prioritize the fight against illegal mining, known as galamsey, due to fears of losing votes in the upcoming elections.
He explained that while these parties continue to engage with citizens and seek their support for the December 7th elections, they are not addressing the menace of galamsey because some politicians benefit from the illicit activity.
“For the 9th time, Ghanaians are preparing to vote in the 4th Republic, to elect a president and parliamentarians. The major political parties, along with a few new entrants, are clamoring for votes, but what is the nature, character, and core promise of democracy in the 4th Republic? In an election campaign, political parties refuse to address major issues like galamsey because they fear losing votes, as their leaders and financiers are beneficiaries of it,” Prof. Karikari asserted.
Prof. Karikari, leader of the Friends of Akoto Ampaw, also questioned the state of Ghana’s democracy, saying, “I’m sure we all have many questions about the democracy of the 4th Republic.”
He made these remarks at the first public lecture held in honor of the late human rights lawyer, Akoto Ampaw, who passed away a year ago.
The event, held on Wednesday, October 23, 2024, at the University of Ghana (UG), was organized by Friends of Akoto Ampaw in collaboration with the Centre for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana) and the Institute of African Studies at UG.
The lecture, themed “The Problems of Ghana’s 4th Republic,” featured discussions on the topic “The Crisis of Civic Citizenship in Contemporary Ghanaian Democracy: Lessons from the Life and Times of the Late A. Akoto Ampaw.”
Latest Stories
-
Shippers’ Authority blocks arbitrary fee hikes with new regulatory powers
2 hours -
Cedi to remain broadly stable in coming months; gained 30% against dollar since January 1
2 hours -
Mahama declares galamsey a national emergency, orders arrest of rogue taskforces
3 hours -
Ghana champions youth skills with national dialogue and launch of TVET Week 2025
3 hours -
Ghana’s inflation to remain on a downward trajectory in second-half 2025 – Fitch Solutions
3 hours -
‘Deal with galamsey, the situation is urgent’ – National House of Chiefs president to Mahama
3 hours -
AG directs EOCO to investigate NDC executives cited in galamsey allegations
3 hours -
Mahama pledges 70% world market cocoa price to farmers
5 hours -
EOCO teams up with Nigerian agency to rescue trafficking victims
5 hours -
State funeral to be held for Joseph Kobina Ade Coker on August 1
5 hours -
Mahama orders arrest of fake anti-galamsey taskforce extorting miners
5 hours -
Joseph Kobina Ade Shino Coker
5 hours -
Royal Sweet Limited signs up for JoySports Invitational Tournament 2025
6 hours -
Ghanaian movie industry wasting talent – Gloria Sarfo
6 hours -
Ho West MP secures 100 international scholarships for constituents
7 hours