Claim: Dr Matthew Opoku Premph, an ex-Ghanaian Energy Minister, says the 2024 flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Mahama, promised to pardon jailed illegal miners so they could continue with their illicit activities.
Verdict: False. JUSTFACT GHANA’s investigation showed that the ex-Ghanaian President John Mahama did not promise to pardon the jailed illegal miners to return to their illicit activities, as alleged. Findings of a content analysis conducted into Mr Mahama’s 2020 promise revealed the NDC flagbearer promised to release the jailed illegal miners because he believed they were not the main perpetrators of the illicit activities.
Background
Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh, the 2024 Vice Presidential candidate of Ghana’s governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), has accused the National Democratic Congress (NDC)’s 2024 flagbearer, John Mahama, of derailing the country’s fight against illegal mining.
Speaking at the 40th-anniversary celebration of the Association of Methodist Men’s Fellowships, held in Kumasi on Sept. 13, 2024, the ex-Ghanaian Energy Minister said no one should be allowed to mine in river bodies.
“We have to come up with our voice. Certainly, nobody must be allowed to mine irresponsibly and illegally. No matter what, nobody should be permitted to mine in river bodies. We should all live within the laws of the country,” Mr Opoku Prempeh said.
The serving Member of Parliament (MP) for the Manhyia South constituency encouraged the gathering of church leaders to make their views count in the country’s governance.
“If you don’t draw the parties close, it will be like a few years back when one president was curtailing galamsey and illegal mining activities, one was saying, if you elect me, I will give you amnesty to go start doing it again,” Mr Opoku Prempeh.
See minutes 1:24 to 1:48 of the video posted on X (formerly Twitter) for the NPP 2024 Vice Presidential candidate’s comment.
Also, see a similar claim here where Mr Mahama reportedly promised to release the jailed miners so they could continue with their illegal activities.
The social media data showed the post received over 4,500 views less than four hours after posting.
Responding to the video, an X user said:
“Is he [referring to Mr Opoku Prempeh] not the same person who said they will return the excavators to illegal small-scale miners when they come into power 2025?”
Another X user quizzed:
“Ah is he serious? How about Akonta [a mining company owned by the NPP Ashanti regional chairman] mining?”
Investigation
JUSTFACT GHANA’s research showed that the ex-Ghanaian President John Mahama did not promise to pardon the jailed illegal miners to return to their illicit activities, as alleged.
Findings of a content analysis conducted into Mr Mahama’s 2020 promise revealed the NDC flagbearer promised to release the jailed illegal miners because he believed they were not the main perpetrators of the illicit activities.
Addressing residents of Adum Banso in the Western Region during a 2020 campaign tour, Mr Mahama said he would grant amnesty to the jailed illegal miners because he believed they had regretted their actions.
He also added that the jailed miners would not have been the main culprits if President Nana Akufo-Addo’s government had been poised to stop illegal mining near waterbodies and forest reserves nationwide.
“When we [the NDC] come those arrested and imprisoned, we will give them amnesty to return to their homes. I believe they have regretted their actions, so we will release them and give them a second chance. We will put in place arrangements to improve things and not discriminate as it is being done,” the NDC Presidential candidate said in 2020.
See minutes 43:56 to 44:56, where Mr Mahama promised to pardon the jailed illegal miners in the YouTube video posted three years ago.
The findings of JUSTFACT GHANA’s investigations disclosed the ex-Ghanaian leader did not say anywhere during his interaction with the voters in 2020 that he would pardon the incarcerated illegal miners so they could return to their illicit activities.
Again, the results of JUSTFACT GHANA’s Google keyword search showed that no reputable media organisation in Ghana reported Mr Mahama as promising to return the jailed illegal miners to their illegal operation sites.
See media reports on the subject matter here, here, here, and here.
Conclusion
Ex-Ghanaian President John Mahama did not promise to pardon the jailed illegal miners so they could return to their illicit activities, as Dr Opoku Prempeh alleged.
