Franklin Cudjoe, founder and President of IMANI Africa, has taken a swipe at President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for deploying military personnel to clamp down on illegal mining activities, locally known as galamsey.

The IMANI Africa’s president said the government has spent millions of Ghana Cedi on similar operations in its attempt to combat galamsey but has not yielded any positive results.

The government deployed over 100 armed military personnel to various water bodies in a renewed effort to combat the menace on Thursday, October 10.

Franklin Cudjoe described the deployment as a game of tricks, smokes and mirrors in an interview on The Big Issue on Channel One TV on Saturday, October 12.

“This [The deployment] is like a game of tricks, smokes and mirrors. Any serious person wanting to deal with this matter [galamsey] immediately will not send these advanced militia people to go and do what they are doing there. Have we not seen that before?”

He also expressed his reservations about calls by the government for collective efforts towards the galamsey fight.

“Almost 70 percent of your rivers are bloodened and you are here doing two steps forward, four steps backwards and we are clapping that they have started doing something. I don’t even know why we are applauding the deployment as if it was gifted.

“The other thing that irritates me is let’s all come together to fight galamsey. Come together to do what? You came to me to beg for votes and even said you will put your presidency on the line and now you are telling me to come together. Why is it a community labour?”

He further told the host, Selorm Adonoo that “If this president was minded to deal with this matter, he would have stated it the last time he met with the GJA but he just read his speech and left.”