Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, has condemned the alleged involvement of two Members of Parliament in an attack on officials from the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS), warning that Parliament will not protect any lawmaker found culpable.
The MPs accused of taking part in the assault are Ebenezer Kwaku Addo, Member of Parliament for Asutifi North, and Collins Dauda, MP for Asutifi South.
Speaking on the floor of Parliament on Tuesday, the Speaker expressed deep concern over the development, describing it as both disturbing and unacceptable, especially given that it involves legislators entrusted with upholding the rule of law.
“The report of an attack on a team from the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat, a task force established to combat illegal mining, is most worrying,” Bagbin said. “Even more troubling is the claim that the assault was incited by one of our own, the Member of Parliament for Asutifi North, who allegedly involved Honourable Collins Dauda in the matter.”
While noting that he was awaiting a detailed briefing, Speaker Bagbin condemned the incident in the strongest terms and reaffirmed Parliament’s commitment to justice and accountability.
“I wish to make it clear that I condemn, without reservation, the attack on the team of officers assigned to combat illegal mining,” he stated. “I have instructed the Office of the Clerk and the Legal Services Office to assist the Ghana Police Service in its investigations, in accordance with the Constitution and the Standing Orders of Parliament.”
His remarks follow growing public concern over political interference in Ghana’s long-running fight against illegal mining, commonly known as galamsey, which continues to destroy farmlands and pollute water bodies.
The Minority Leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, also weighed in on the matter, calling on lawmakers to set aside political affiliations and take a united stand in addressing the menace.
“Mr. Speaker, can we, as leaders, for once agree to abandon the partisan lens and confront this problem as a national priority?” he asked. “Our citizens must see that we are serious about protecting the environment and our shared future.”
He further cautioned that politicising the fight against illegal mining could have dire consequences for both the environment and Ghana’s democratic integrity.
“The fight against illegal mining should not be an NDC or NPP affair,” Afenyo-Markin warned. “We cannot ignore wrongdoing because of votes—such thinking only leads to destruction, not progress.”
Source: Adomonline
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