An aspiring National Organiser for the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Kwadwo Agyei Yeboah, also known as Nana Kay, has stated that he would not be surprised if President John Dramani Mahama were to decriminalise armed robbery.

Yeboah attributed his assertion to President Mahama’s response regarding why a state of emergency has not yet been declared against illegal mining, commonly known as “galamsey.”

He expressed disappointment in President Mahama’s response, describing it as deceptive and an insult to the public.

According to him, for a leader who made the “galamsey” issue a political priority while former President Akufo-Addo was in office—and even demanded a state of emergency—it was only proper that he fulfilled his promises.

Nana Kay stated that he was most “shamed and disappointed” that a government which, while in opposition, instructed the former administration to declare a state of emergency, has suddenly changed its stance, now claiming that existing laws have not been exhausted and that “galamsey” is a source of livelihood for those involved.

Speaking on Nyankonton Mu Nsem on Rainbow Radio 87.5FM, he mentioned that the current Lands minister, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, Communications Minister Samuel Nartey ‘Dzata’ George and others had previously criticised former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s reluctance to declare a state of emergency but have now “shifted the goalpost.”

“I can provide thousands of videos in which President John Dramani Mahama was pressuring former President Akufo-Addo to declare a state of emergency against illegal mining.

"He was criticising Akufo-Addo, telling him to deal with the problem. Okudzeto Ablakwa also called for a state of emergency.

"The current Lands minister, I am so ashamed and embarrassed, is one of the most respectable politicians in Ghana, taking over the Lands and Natural Resources Ministry, who, somewhere around September or November 2024, was asking Akufo-Addo to declare a state of emergency.

"Yet, President Mahama responded to these issues by saying something else; he told us that galamsey was a source of livelihood. This is hypocrisy. This is total deception by the President against Ghanaians.”

He continued, “If President Mahama is today telling us he cannot deal with galamsey, then I would not be surprised if tomorrow he tells us that armed robbers depend on arms and so he has decriminalised it.

"I would not be surprised about that. But this is not why we voted for Mahama. You criticised former President Akufo-Addo and today, you are rather focused on intimidating your opponents instead of delivering on your mandate.”

He was responding to the arrest of Kwame Baffoe, also known as Abronye DC, the NPP’s Bono Regional Chairman and others accused of making comments that breached the country’s peace.

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