NPP Communication Director clashes with Randy Abbey over Mahama's ‘galamsey amnesty’ comment

The Director of Communications for the NPP, Richard Ahiagbah, has clashed with veteran broadcaster Dr. Randy Abbey over comments made by former President John Dramani Mahama on granting illegal miners (galamseyers) amnesty. John Dramani Mahama, in October 2020, indicated that his government would grant amnesty to people who have been arrested in connection with illegal mining. According to him, the New Patriotic Party has been biased in the arrest of citizens whilst turning a blind eye to foreigners who are equally involved in illegal mining. “It’s sad. The government said it was fighting galamsey and they arrested, prosecuted, and jailed Ghanaians who were engaged in that activity but left the Chinese woman… when we come, we shall grant all those arrested and jailed some amnesty,” said Mr. Mahama during his tour in the Western Region. In a panel discussion on Good Morning Ghana on Friday (October 9), which was monitored by GhanaWeb, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Communication Director sort to conclude that Mahama’s actions amounted to politicians taking advantage of the fight against illegal mining to win political favour as a research finding in 2017 stated. “I have showed you a video of the NDC canvassing people that vote for us when we come. We will allow you to galamsey. And I am telling you an academic position that says that, that is a real weakness and politicians and galamseyers are exploiting that. “And I am going to tell you that there is a political party in the 2020 Election that exploited this position, this finding as a way of campaigning to say that if you vote for us we will allow you to galamsey. “… and indeed the outcome of the 2020 Election tells you that indeed, the NDC’s strategy to exploit galamsey (worked). The findings here support the outcome that the NDC got in the 2020 Election. That is just the point I was making,” he said. But, the host of Good Morning Ghana, did not agree with the NPP communicator’s conclusion because the findings of the research were gathered from data gathered in elections held in 2016, 2012, and other subsequent elections. “You refer to this report which was out doored in June 2017, which refers to how political parties, especially when they are in opposition exploit the galameysers for political benefit. And you used that to demonstrate what you believe the NDC did in the 2020 Elections. “ … now I am asking you whether this June 2017 report was not speaking to what had happened in previous elections, be it 2016, 2012, 2008 and, therefore, not a vindication of what political parties do when they are in opposition do and not necessarily what the NDC did in 2020 because of this 2017 report." Listen to the clash below: IB/BOG