The Progressive People’s Party (PPP) has declared its full support for the nation-wide strike called by the Trades Union Congress (TUC).
The strike, according to the TUC, is intended to push the government to declare a state of emergency to address the growing galamsey menace, which is destroying the country’s environment and threatening the livelihoods of millions.
In a statement signed by the PPP’s 2024 Presidential Candidate, Kofi Asamoah-Siaw, the party stressed that it stands firmly behind the TUC’s demand for the government to ban all forms of illegal small-scale mining, especially in water bodies, forest reserves, and any part of Ghana.
Describing galamsey as the “single most existential threat to the Republic of Ghana,” Asamoah-Siaw said the activities of illegal miners were akin to biological warfare, given the extensive use of mercury and other heavy-metal pollutants. He likened these harmful substances to weapons of mass destruction, used against the state and its citizens, and pledged to sign the TUC’s Anti-Galamsey Declaration unconditionally.
The PPP further commended the TUC and organized labour for taking bold steps to protect the country from what they described as “state-capture and state-sponsored terrorism.” They accused a group of “selfish, greedy, and unpatriotic Ghanaians” of perpetuating the illegal mining practices, which have devastated communities across the country.
According to the PPP, its 10-Point Agenda, which includes Free Compulsory Continuous Universal Education and Job Creation for the youth, offers solutions to reduce the labour supply to galamsey operations. They emphasized that this agenda would help curb youth unemployment, which is a key driver of illegal mining.
The PPP also dismissed calls from President Akufo-Addo for more time to address the galamsey issue, accusing him of failing to act decisively in almost eight years. “His calls are only directed at getting more time for his party members to continue to perpetuate this and other heinous crimes against the people,” the party alleged.
The Progressive People’s Party reaffirmed its commitment to governing with integrity and discipline, if given the opportunity, to lead the nation toward peace and prosperity, free from the galamsey menace.