Galamsey Fight Becomes Marathon Only After NDC Takes Power, Says Awula Serwah

Convener of Eco-Conscious Citizens, Awula Serwah, has taken a swipe at the governing National Democratic Congress over its handling of the fight against illegal mining, saying the party now describes the battle as a marathon only because it is in power.

Speaking on the issue, she noted that the language surrounding galamsey has shifted dramatically since the NDC assumed office. Before the elections, the party spoke with urgency, promising swift action against those destroying the country’s water bodies and forests. Now that it is in power, the message has changed. The fight, Ghanaians are being told, is a marathon, not a sprint.

For Awula Serwah, the shift is telling. She argued that galamsey does not pause while governments adjust their rhetoric. Rivers continue to turn brown, farmlands continue to be poisoned and communities continue to suffer. A marathon, she suggested, is a convenient word for a government that has discovered how difficult it is to confront the powerful interests behind illegal mining.

Her comments have reignited debate about political sincerity on environmental protection. Critics say both major parties have treated galamsey as a campaign tool rather than a national emergency. When in opposition, they promise fire and fury. When in power, they speak of strategy, patience and long-term solutions.

Awula Serwah’s Eco-Conscious Citizens has been at the forefront of advocacy against illegal mining. She insisted that the fight cannot be reduced to slogans. It requires enforcement, prosecution and political will, regardless of which party is in office.

Her message was direct. If the fight is truly a marathon, then the government must show it is running, not resting. Ghanaians, she said, are watching the clock, and the country does not have the luxury of waiting for another election cycle. The question now is whether the NDC will treat galamsey as a race worth winning, or simply another promise to be managed.

https://x.com/ghonetv/status/2108578213060309388

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