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"I am not a conman. Yes, it is on record that I have used that word. It was in reaction to a statement that I issued when I was the Lands Minister, the implications and the dictate of that word were in a context at the time I was issuing that statement.
"The conman was not directed to what the interpretation might have been made. Of course, it was not an appropriate word to use at the time. In that context, I have withdrawn that word," Amewu who is the Minister-designate for Railways told the Appointments Committee during his vetting.
Amewu who was Minister of Lands and Natural Resources in the run-up to the 2020 elections described Mahama as a conman who failed to honour promises his administration made towards the growth of the mining sector.
His comments come after Mahama described the government's approach in the anti-galamsey campaign as counterproductive.
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John Mahama
"…it is true that if we don't do something about it, it will destroy the environment. But we need to apply wisdom because we've chased young people involved in illegal small-scale mining with soldiers in the past in this country, but it didn't work," Mahama said.
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However, in a response to Mahama, Amewu called on small-scale miners and the general public to disregard the comments, stating that he [Mahama], did not make any meaningful impact on the sector in his four years in charge of the country.
Amewu in a sharp rebuttal said "what has Mahama been able to do? Today, we have created a lot of mining districts, we've created 12 mining districts and 33 satellite districts. We are bringing mining back to the decentralization level. Small-scale mining which was in the status quo was supposed to have mining communities.
"These were not inaugurated in all the years Mahama was President, we have just inaugurated them, bringing mining to the community of the owners of the resources. Decentralization is the approach, so I am so disappointed in him."
"He cannot address the problems. I’m telling the small-scale miners that this gentleman is a conman. He’s deceiving them and if they dare go in for him just because of galamsey, this country will come down," he added.