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The Progressive People’s Party (PPP) has issued a three-month ultimatum to government to halt the activities of illegal miners in the country. The Party threatened to drag President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufu-Addo to the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity if he failed to heed to the call. It also called for the immediate extradition of all foreign nationals, particularly the Chinese, who were found guilty of breaking the mining laws and causing harm to the environment.
It urged the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to ensure the immediate disbarment of all forms of vigilante groups including the Delta and Invincible Forces, as their activities posed a great security threat to the country.
Nii Allotey Brew-Hammond, the National Chairman of the Progressive People’s Party, who was addressing a press conference in Accra on Monday, said the Party strongly condemned these acts of lawlessness, which could plunge the country into a state of anarchy.
He took a swipe at the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government, accusing it of not taking charge of affairs and dealing effectively with the rising situations.He challenged the government to demonstrate a strong political will by rolling out immediate strong actions and strategies to stop the “shameful and unacceptable” actions.
Nii Brew-Hammond said the massive destruction to water sources, farm lands and reserved forest vegetation, as a result of illegal mining operations should be seen as a national threats to the survival of humanity, especially the immediate communities.
He said the country would be forced to import drinking water in the next five years if the situation was not curtailed and reversed. He said the country would also record a massive reduction in its traditional exports including cocoa and timber.
Nii Brew-Hammond said the Ghana Police Service together with other law enforcement agencies must be resourced to be able to deal with any resistance from vigilante groups and also enforce the mining and all other laws to maintain peace, law and order.He said both the actions of the Chinese and other nationals in illegal mining and the activities of the vigilante groups amounted to gross disrespect to the majority of law abiding Ghanaians.
The PPP cautioned all the political hands and “big wigs” that were involved in perpetrating the nefarious acts by way of funding to stop, saying the country was no longer the playing ground for their selfish gains. Nii Brew-Hammond commended the media for the strong campaign against galamsey activities and the activities of some unpatriotic citizens, and pledged the party’s full support to the cause.
