Spokesperson for former President John Mahama has said the government ought to admit that its militarisation of the fight against illegal mining has failed.
Joyce Bawa Mogtari told Joy News Monday, the Akufo-Addo government will do well to consult his boss on the fight against illegal mining instead of attacking him.
Her boss has come under a barrage of attack over what the NPP has described as his "repugnant" comments that appear to back the illegal miners.
Illegal mining also known as 'galamsey' is believed to have spiralled out of control under Mahama administration from 2013 to 2016.
The Akufo-Addo government after winning power put boots on the ground in July 2017 after several warning to the illegal miners to stop the menace.
Illegal mining, the source of Ghana's greatest degradation of the environment includes several Asians and West Africans who have left water bodies unusable in communities.
But at an NDC program in Ashanti region last Saturday, former President Mahama claimed the government was clamping down on the illegal miners without offering any livelihood package.
"When there is nothing to do and you are just chasing and shooting them, that is not the way to go,” he told his supporters at a Unity Walk in Kumasi, the Ashanti regional capital.
The government has said it will employ the illegal miners in an afforestation plan to reclaim destroyed lands.
He said the militarisation of the fight against 'galamsey' has led to a needless loss of life.
But Mahama's pro-galamsey comments have drawn condemnation from the NPP which has branded the former President as a desperate politician.
Lands and Natural Resources minister John Peter Amewu who has been hailed for his efforts in addressing the menace, described Mahama as a 'con man'.
Responding to the criticisms, Joyce Bawa Mogtari said government's reaction smacks of Mahamaphobia.
"I detect a certain phobia and paranoia for all comments made by former President Mahama" Joyce Bawa Mogtari told Joy News.
"...the sort of noises that are being made are a clear indication that former President Mahama has touched on a sore point".
The former President's comments, his spokesperson Joyce Bawa Mogtari said, were from an informed point of view as one who is experienced enough to know, a military strategy won't work.
"Who better than the immediate past president of this country to seek to proffer solutions having learnt from experience he knows that the taskforce option doesn't work?"
The spokesperson expressed surprise that the NPP, which was highly critical of the Mahama government, does not appear to have the stomach for "constructive criticism".
She said the Mahama government was severely lampooned by the then opposition NPP "even things that were good and positive received great criticism"
She said there is no need for John Mahama to apologise because his comments did not include any insults or invectives.
She would rather expect the Lands and Natural minister John Peter Amewu to apologise for his "most unfortunate" description of the former leader.
Source: Joy News
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I really need an education here. Then, it seems to me, the Ex-President Mahama is acting as the current Flagbearer of the NDC in the absence of a political party, constitutionally elected one. Or is he imposing himself on the Party as a Mouthpiece and Flagbearer as it is presupposed to be the same because he has an obvious undue advantage of stolen funds at his disposal to do so? Please take it from me. Mahama's time has awfully come to pass and he is currently not a good material for the NDC. Unless the NDC, as a Political Party, wants Ghanaians to believe that it lacks competent Leaders. The loose talks from Mahama are relegating him as otherwise a Stateman by virtue of the former office he held, to a serial caller.He is indeed, well advised to make guarded utterances pursuant to his former position as President.
For declaring his support for illegal mining John Mahama has turned himself into Enemy of Ghana. How can you support an illegality when that is leading to the destruction of our rivers, forest, arable land and the environment? What do you expect future generations to live on?
No one will consult John Ford Mahama the conman......
Can this woman hear herself that Nana Addo should contact Mahama on how to control galamsey or what i laugh enter my bathroom if you guy's knew how to fight against it why then did Nana Addo government came to meet it and now look at the state of our land and waters bodies.All what you guy's cared for was taking monies from the chinese people.
Mr Editor, please correct the mistake in the title....... Spokesperson to John Manama NOT Nana Addo Thank you
Do we really want to fight galamsay or just do politics with it? Most of the comments here show that we just want to do politics with galamsay. You should all know that galamsay thrives more under conflict. If you doubt, just ask the Sera Leonians. When people were being killed, given short hands, long hands, and being maimed, others were busy mining diamonds. Give the participatory approach a consideration in the fight against galamsay. Depoliticize the fight, empower and give local government a role. Involve the unit communities and the chiefs. Be tough on defaulters, no matter their status. Remember, Mahama started the military approach and saw it does not wash. Was it not Mahama who tried to deport the Chinese, only to realize that Galamsay is not being driven only from China, but even the US and UK. We are wrongfully placing all the emphasis on China. Think again, lets save our water, save our farmlands, save our livelihoods and stop the politics.
Ex-President Mahama is just something else, and it baffles me that this man once ruled Ghana. Look at the states of our water bodies . . . galamsey is killing people and it thrived under your term of office and you did nothing about it so please keep quite for the one who cares for the people to do the job. And leave us alone because no way you are coming to rule Ghana again. Not in 132 years . . .
Joyce, wobrɛ oo. Advise ur so called "statesman" and everything will be fine, ok
JOHN DRAMANYI MAHAMA, YOU ARE A PATHETIC, DESPERATE HAS-BEEN; IF YOU DON’T KNOW. YOU HAVE LOST IT AND YOU WILL NEVER RECOVE, EVEN A TINY FRACTION, IF YOU THINK YOU WILL RECOVER BY PLAYING THE CHEAP AND FILTHY POLITRICKS OF AMBUSH. YOU USED THE DESPICABLE TACTICS OF CALUMNY , LIES, CHEAP ADVERTISING GIMMICKSAND THE REPREHENSIBLE VIDEOS OF ARTISTES OF INFAMY, LIKE MZBEL AND JOHN DUMELO; AND YOU LOST THE ELECTIONS MISERABLY. IN FACT, YOU WERE HANDED AN ELECTORAL KNOCK-OUT!!! IT IS QUITE OBVIOUS THAT YOU ARE STILL REELING FROM THE MESMERISING AND HALLUCINATORY EFFECTS OF THAT ELECTORAL “COUP DE GRACE” YOU HAD THE AUDACITY TO IMPORT A SPENT AND DRUNK NIGERIAN ACTOR TO COME TO GHANA TO INSULT OUR INTELLIGENCE ON TELIVISION, WITH BRAZEN LIES THAT THE CHEAP FLYOVER AT CIRCLE WAS EQUIVALENT TO WHAT YOU AND YOUR CRONIES WERE SEEING IN YOUR TRIPS OF INFAMY TO DUBAI!!! THIS SAME AR*SE-HOLE NAUSEATINGLY PRAISED INSIGNIFICANT CHANGES AT KOTOKA AIRPORT AND RIDGE HOSPITAL. MEANWHILE , WE THE DISCERNING VOTERS WERE ALREADY AWRE THAT THE TOTAL COST OF RETARMACING THE KUMASI AIRPORT WAS EQUAL TO WHAT THE ETHIOPIAN GOVERNMENT HAD SPENT TO BUILD TWO TOP-CLASS AIRPORTS!!!! WE, THE PATRIOTIC AND DISCERNING GHANAIANS, KNOW THAT YOU, JOHN DRAMANYI MAHAMA, ARE THE ONE WHO HAS DISAPPOINTED GHANAIANS; BIG TIME!!!! AT EVERY SO-CALLED UNITY WALK, TURNED INTO A CAMPAIGN TO RECLAIM THE FLAG-BEARERSHIP OF YOUR DISJOINTED AND FACTIONALIZED PARTY, YOU SHOUT YOUR SELF HOARSE THAT THE NPP GOVERNMENT OF HE NANA ADDO-DANQUAH AKUFFO-ADDO HAS NOT REDEEMED HIS ELECTORAL PROMISES. YOU ARE AHYPOCRITE OF THE HIGHEST ORDER. I WISH TO REMIND YOU THAT YOU AND PROF ATTA-MILLS STOOD ON AN ELECTORAL CAMPAIGN PLATFORM IN 2008 AND DECEIVED GHANAIANS THAT THEY SHOULD GIVE YOU THEIR VOTES AND YOU WILL RID GHANA OF FILTH WITHIN 100 DAYS!!!! CONMAN JOHN, 8 YEARS OF MISMNAGEMENT AND INCOMPETENCE AND GINORMOUS CORRUPTION AND ACCRA AND GHANA IS ENGULFED AND CHOKING WITH FILTH AND SHACKS ALONG EVERY THOROUGHFARE!!! WHEN ONE DRIVES ON THE CIRCLE FLYOVER IT BECOMES PATENTLY CLEAR FROM THE DISGUSTING SIGHT OF SHACKS AND HAPHAZARD PLYWOOD DWELLINGS AND SHOPS THAT YOU ARE A CONMAN TO HAVE INVITED A DRUNKARD FROM NIGERIA TO DCEIVE GHANAIANS TO BELIEEVE THAT ACCRA HAD BECOME DUBAI!!! YET YOU HAVE THE EFFRONTERY AND UNASHAMED TEMERITY TO CALL A SITTING PRESIDENT, WHO HAS SPENT THE LAST 16 MONTHS OF HIS 48-MONTH MANDATE, TRYING TO UNTANGLE THE ROTTEN MESS YOU BEQUEATHED HIM, AS A DISAPPOINTMENT?? WE, THE PATRIOTIC AND DISCERNING GHANAIANS, KNOW THAT YOU, JOHN DRAMANYI MAHAMA, ARE THE ONE WHO HAS DISAPPOINTED GHANAIANS; BIG TIME!!!! ONE CAN GO ON AND ON ABOUT YOUR HORRENDOUS LEGACY OF BRAZEN ***barred word*** AND MIND-BOGGLING CORRUPTION AND ASK THE RHETORICAL QUESTION THAT ARE A SERIOUS POLITICIAN AND A TRUE PATRIOT??? AND WHAT DO YOU HAVE AGAIN IN YOUR LEAKING TANK THAT MAKES YOU THING THAT GHANAIANS WOULD BE ***barred word*** AND GULLIBLE TO SWALLOW YOR SELF-GRATIFYING CHEAP TANTRUMS YOU HAVE BEEN THROWING ON THE SO-CALLED UNITY WALK??? WE, THE PATRIOTIC AND DISCERNING GHANAIANS, KNOW THAT YOU, JOHN DRAMANYI MAHAMA, ARE THE ONE WHO HAS DISAPPOINTED GHANAIANS; BIG TIME!!!! TAKE A STEP BACK AND LOOK AT YOUR DRUKEN SELF WELL ,WELLL, WELLL!!!! AND ASK YOURSELF WHETHER YOU DESERVE A SECOND CHANCE??? SHOULD A NATION WHICH HAS SLID DOWN THE SLOPE OF DECLINE UNDER SEVERAL NDC GOVERNMENTS OF PATRONAGE AND CREATE, LOOT AND SHARE ENTRUST ITS GOVERNANCE IN YOUR TAINTED AND INCAPABLE HANDS??? ARE YOU SURE THAT THE EMMINENT PERSONS WHO, METICULOUSLY, WROTE A REPORT ABOUT YOUR HIGHLY LAMENTABLE, SERIOUS AND INFANTILE LAPSES OF JUDGEMENT AND MATURITY ERRED IN THEIR ASSESSMENT OF YOUR STEWARDSHIP , AS LEADER AND FLAGBEARER OF YOUR PARTY??? IT IS OBVIOUS THAT YOU ARE USING THE UNITY WALK TO CIRCUMVENT THE ARMAGEDDON THAT THEY WANT TO AVOID IN YOUR PARTY; A PARTY WHICH, ACTUALLY, HAS NEVER WON A FREE AND FAIR ELECTIONS IN GHANA??? STOP WASTING OUR EARS WITH YOUR VERBAL TRIPE AND LEAVE GHANA IN PEACE TO PICK UP THE PECIES TO RECONSTRUCT AND MOVE FORWARD,PLEASE!!! THERE IS NO EX-AFRICAN PRESIDENT WHO HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH HIS TIME EXCEPT ORGANISE PICNICS AND WALKS TO FUEL HIS BRAZEN CONTEMPT FOR HIS COUNTRY AND SELFISH POLITICAL AMBITIONS!!!