Former Minister of Health, Dr Bernard Okoe Boye, has called on the Mahama-led government to apologise to Ghanaians for failing to address the worsening illegal mining situation, commonly referred to as galamsey.

Speaking on Peace FM’s Kokrokoo morning show, Dr Okoe Boye criticised the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) for backtracking on its campaign promises made ahead of the 2024 general elections.

He noted that among those promises was a bold commitment to declare a state of emergency in galamsey-affected areas, a pledge that he says has since been abandoned after the party assumed power.

Quoting former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair, Dr Okoe Boye remarked, “If you use dishonest means to win power, it’s okay to reroute and use honest means to solve the problem; but first of all, apologise to us.”

He urged the government to admit its shortcomings, apologise to the public, and adopt a more transparent and effective approach to tackling illegal mining, which continues to pose a serious threat to the environment and local communities.