Dr. Cadman Atta Mills, former Senior Presidential Advisor and brother of the late President John Evans Atta Mills, has launched fresh criticism at the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the Jubilee House, over the government’s handling of illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey.
Taking to his X (formerly Twitter) account, Dr. Cadman Mills expressed strong disapproval over what he described as the government’s ineffective approach to tackling the galamsey menace, which he says is steadily poisoning Ghana’s arable lands and water bodies.
In what can be interpreted as a direct challenge to attempts to silence dissent within the ruling party, Dr. Cadman Mills maintained that speaking against his party’s policy failures does not amount to disloyalty.
Drawing from his experience as a Development Economist and former World Bank official, he emphasised that constructive criticism is vital to shaping better policies.
“You are not ‘disloyal’ because you criticize your political party’s policies even passionately. A political party is not (and should not be) a monolith.
“In speaking against your party’s policies, you encourage debate and increase the chances of better policies being adopted.”
Dr. Cadman Mills reiterated his unwavering commitment to speaking out against galamsey, despite what he described as efforts to muzzle voices like his under the guise of party loyalty or age.
“I refuse to be silenced on galamsey (or other policies) because of;
(1) the patently false claim that I was silent on the misdeeds of the previous government in mining (I wrote volumes), or
(2) that as a ‘party elder’ I should not publicly express my disagreements with my party’s policies.”
Dr. Cadman Mills clarified his role within the NDC, stressing that he may be elderly, but he is not part of the party’s Council of Elders, whom he suggested are often gagged or politically restrained.
“I am a party member and elderly (very elderly), but I am not a ‘party elder’. Those (muzzled) creatures belong to the party’s Council of Elders.”
His remarks come at a time when environmental degradation linked to illegal mining has become one of Ghana’s most pressing national issues.
Successive governments, including both NPP and NDC administrations, have been criticized for either failing to enforce mining regulations or allegedly benefiting from galamsey-related corruption.
Dr. Cadman Mills’ public stance adds to a growing list of influential voices calling for non-partisan, decisive action on the galamsey crisis, a threat that experts warn could cripple Ghana’s agricultural productivity, biodiversity and public health.
As the galamsey menace spirals out of control, the question remains whether either of Ghana’s two major political parties is prepared to move beyond rhetoric and take the tough decisions required to curb it, even if that means stepping on politically connected toes.
