The New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) vice-presidential candidate, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, commonly known as Napo, has alleged that the National Democratic Congress (NDC) would shoot and kill small-scale miners if voted into government.
Addressing the people of Prestea Huni Valley and Mpohor in the Western Region, the former Minister for Education stated that, unlike the NDC, he and Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia have no intention of shooting or killing anyone, but would instead return the seized excavators.
He further claimed that the NDC won six parliamentary seats in the Wasa enclave in the 2020 elections due to the support of small-scale miners, the same group the party had allegedly promised to shoot and kill.
Dr. Prempeh said “When the small-scale miners mine, they are able to get money to fend for their families. Small-scale miners voted for the NDC to win about 6 seats in Wassa, but now they [the NDC] say they will shoot and kill small-scale miners. Tell them the lies are enough. We will not shoot and kill anyone.”
He added that, “We all return all seized excavators to you, so you can do your work peacefully. This will help everyone to get money to fend for themselves and also for the community to develop. Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia will not collapse small-scale mining.”
“What we do not like is that you put a “changfan” on water bodies, but anyone interested in the government’s community mining scheme will be able to mine,” he added.