The Director of Communications for the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), Richard Ahiagbah, has lambasted President John Mahama's administration for what he perceives as a lack of commitment to tackling the illegal mining crisis, commonly known as galamsey.

Addressing a press conference on Wednesday, March 26, Mr Ahiagbah called for the complete repeal of laws that he believes are ineffective in curbing the destruction of the country's forests and water bodies by illegal miners.

According to him, the fight against galamsey failed under his first term, noting that the President appears to be continuing from where he (President John Dramani Mahama) left off before he exited office in 2017.

“I recall the state of the galamsey fight under President John Dramani Mahama before he exited office in 2017. It was a total give-up, with his Minister for Lands and Natural Resources abandoning the fight. This time, it’s very early, but it seems to me as if the President is just continuing from where he left off,” Mr Ahiagbah said.

The NPP Communications Director further stated that the fight against illegal mining has been virtually abandoned.

He stressed that it is imperative for the government to take a more decisive stand and completely repeal existing laws that are insufficient to tackle the crisis.

“It appears today in our country that the fight against galamsey has been given up on. The President is not focused on fighting galamsey,” he asserted.