Mark Ewusi Arkoh, Convener of Elections Watch Ghana, has called on President John Dramani Mahama to make stronger use of his executive powers in the ongoing fight against illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey.
According to Arkoh, the military should be given a clearly defined role in the anti-galamsey campaign.
“President John Mahama has the powers to stop illegal mining, as an Executive President, we have given him all the powers. He should empower the Military and declare the galamsey prone areas as security zones and when anyone trespasses, let them shoot them down, because what are you doing at a military zone?” Arkoh quized during an interview on Yɛn Nsempa Morning Show on Onua FM on October 9.
He emphasized that calls for a national State of Emergency to tackle galamsey are unnecessary, as President Mahama and his ministers are already implementing effective and results-oriented measures to address the menace.
Arkoh warned that invoking a State of Emergency could have severe economic and social repercussions for mining communities that rely heavily on small-scale mining as their primary source of livelihood.
“If we declare a State of Emergency, it means the entire community will go dead,” he cautioned, stressing that such a move could cripple local economies.
He explained that while Elections Watch Ghana had previously supported the idea of a State of Emergency, the group’s position has shifted in light of the pragmatic and structured approach being pursued by the Mahama administration.
“In the past, we supported a State of Emergency. But this time, we are not supporting it because what President John Mahama and his Lands Minister, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, are putting in place is making headway,” Arkoh stated.
Adding that the government’s ongoing actions against illegal mining are beginning to yield visible results across several regions and therefore deserve continued support rather than drastic measures.
