Eco-Conscious Citizens call for censure of MP Matthew Nyindam over galamsey comments

A joke too far?

On July 29, 2025, during proceedings in Ghana’s Parliament, Member of Parliament Matthew Nyindam made a statement that has since sparked outrage across civic and environmental groups.

“Mr. Speaker, even if you want to go and do galamsey, play Daddy Lumba’s music and you will be encouraged,” Nyindam said, referencing the iconic Ghanaian highlife musician in a comment many are interpreting as a flippant endorsement of illegal mining—locally known as galamsey.

This statement, which appears in a video clip that has gone viral online (Watch the clip), was made on the floor of Parliament, and has drawn sharp criticism for trivializing a national crisis.

A national crisis dismissed in jest

Eco-Conscious Citizens, a prominent environmental advocacy group, has issued a strongly worded letter to Rt. Hon. Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, Speaker of Parliament, urging him to censure the MP.

In the letter dated August 1, 2025, founder and director Awula Serwah condemned the MP’s statement as “disgraceful,” calling it “irresponsible, in bad taste and not words spoken by any Member of Parliament aware of the ecological disaster facing the nation.”

The group expressed deep concern that the comment was not censured in Parliament, nor was the MP asked to withdraw his words. This silence, they argue, reflects a troubling indifference to the devastating impact of illegal mining.

The cost of galamsey

Illegal small-scale mining—commonly known as galamsey—has become one of Ghana’s most pressing environmental and public health crises. According to the letter, the consequences are dire:

• Rivers and water bodies poisoned by mercury and cyanide
• Forests razed beyond recovery
• Children dying after falling into abandoned mining pits
• Rising rates of kidney disease, cancer, maternal death, and birth defects
• 2.5 million peasant farmers at risk of losing livelihoods
• Ghana’s food exports under threat
• Emerging national security concerns

These issues were powerfully documented in Erastus Asare Donkor’s “Poisoned for Gold” and other investigative reports. Civic groups and media outlets have long called for stronger state intervention, including a targeted state of emergency in affected areas.

Cultural icons and criminal activities—A dangerous link

Awula Serwah further likened Nyindam’s remarks to hypothetically saying “armed robbers can play Daddy Lumba’s music and they will be good to go,” emphasizing the inappropriateness of tying a musical tribute to illegal activities.

“Linking a tribute to musical legend Daddy Lumba to a destructive, illegal activity which threatens our very existence is irresponsible,” Serwah wrote. “None of us would tolerate this if it was about another crime.”

A call for accountability

The advocacy group argues that such comments undermine Parliament’s credibility and its commitment to environmental protection and the rule of law.

“These irresponsible words from a Parliamentarian bring Parliament into disrepute and he should be held accountable,” the letter asserts.

Eco-Conscious Citizens are now publicly urging the Speaker of Parliament to take action by formally censuring MP Matthew Nyindam for the remarks.

The bigger picture: Leadership in Crisis

This incident highlights a broader concern: the perceived lack of urgency and seriousness in addressing the galamsey crisis at the highest levels of government.

Despite mounting evidence and worsening health and environmental consequences, Parliament has not backed civil society’s call for a targeted state of emergency. The silence around Nyindam’s comment may be seen as symbolic of this inaction.

What comes next?

As calls for accountability grow louder, all eyes are now on Speaker Bagbin and the Parliamentary leadership to demonstrate that irresponsible rhetoric on matters of national survival will not be tolerated.

For now, Eco-Conscious Citizens and others await a response—hoping for action, not silence.