Awula Serwah, Coordinator for Eco-Conscious, a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), has chastised the Lands and Natural Resources Minister for describing the calls for a state of emergency on illegal mining as draconian.
She says with the levels of destruction on Ghana’s environment, the ongoing illegal mining activities in the country requires an urgent attention making the Minister’s remarks something out of place.
Madam Serwah asserts Samuel Abdulai Jinapor, the Minister, is behaving like an ostrich for saying the declaration for a state of emergency will be far-reaching.
According to her, illegal mining activities have worsened seven years down the line after the Akufo-Addo government took over, to the extent of putting his presidency on the line but getting nothing to show for.
Speaking at Media General’s Anti-galamsey forum on the theme; The Galamsey Fight, Beyond the Talk, What Next?, the environmentalist told the Minister that: “He can say what he likes because seven years down the line, things have gone from bad to worse. We can behave like ostriches and put our heads in the sand” when the issue remain unresolved and causing harm to the environment.
Regarding the treatment meted out to the Democracy Hub protestors, Serwah questioned why the government will command the police to arrest persons advocating for something illegal to be stopped, and allow others to continue mining on water bodies to pollute them.
The Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel Abdulai Jinapor, described the calls for a state of emergency to combat illegal mining, as “draconian and far-reaching.”
He stressed that while the fight against galamsey remains one of the government’s top priorities, extreme measures could have unintended consequences on the economy, livelihoods, and governance.
The Minister’s comments followed calls by the Trades Union Congress and some civil society organisations to President Akufo-Addo to ban all illegal mining and declare a state of emergency in all mining communities.
Organised Labour on Wednesday, September 11, also issued a stern warning to the government, threatening a nationwide strike by the end of September if decisive action is not taken to address the escalating galamsey crisis.
But speaking at a media engagement in Accra, the minister acknowledged the widespread public outcry and the growing frustration over the devastating effects of illegal mining on Ghana’s environment.
However, he cautioned against declaring a state of emergency, suggesting that it could lead to deeper social and economic instability.
Mr. Jinapor assured that the government will engage labour unions and civil society organisations on how best to address the galamsey menace instead on declaring a state of emergency and banning the act.
“Declaring a state of emergency, that is in the bosom of the president, but I find that being far-reaching, [being] a very draconian measure to take.
“So we will engage him and we will have this conversation, and I believe out of that, we maybe need to come up with some consensus that we can work with,” he stated.
