The Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel Abu Jinapor has said that it will be too harsh to declare a state of emergency over the illicit small-scale mining activities (Galamsney).
He indicated that declaring a statement of emergency is the blossom of the president but he finds it being far-reaching
Speaking during an engagement with the media on Wednesday, September 11, the Damongo lawmaker said “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 may need to come up with some consensus that we can work with.”
Persons including a Governance Expert, Professor Baffour Agyeman-Duah had called on President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to declare a state of emergency in areas heavily impacted by galamsey.
Prof Baffour Agyeman-Duah observed that galamsey poses an existential threat to the nation due to the effect on the water bodies and the environment in general.
Asked whether there should be a state of emergency in view of the galamsey while speaking on the Big Issue on TV3 Monday, September 9, he said “Absolutely, it should be immediate. We should also suspend licensing of companies to mine at least for a year to have a sober reflection on how we manage our resources.”
He further raised issues against the silence of President Nana Ado Dankwa Akufo-Addo on the galamsey menace.
“The loud silence of the president is a concern. We just have to declare the state of emergency in areas where the galamsyers are doing their work. It seems the state has been so weak and can’t enforce the laws, soldiers were deployed and what happened? The two leading political parties are culpable but this is not the time to put the blame on one or the other.
His comments come at a time when joint health sector unions have urgently called on the government to immediately ban all small-scale mining activities.
In a joint statement, the leadership of these unions emphasized the critical need for the government to bolster regulatory and enforcement agencies to effectively combat the galamsey menace.
The public sector health associations and unions, including the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association, Health Services Workers Union, Ghana Medical Association, Government and Hospital Pharmacists Association, Medical Laboratory Professional Workers Union, Mortuary Workers Association of Ghana, Ghana Association of Certified Anesthetists, Health Accounting Staff Association, and the Ghana Physician Assistant Association, have expressed grave concerns over the detrimental impact of galamsey on water bodies.
“The Ghana Water Company recently reported a reduction in water production by over 60% in the Western Region, 30% in the Central Region, with a total loss of 50% of treated water due to pollution and silting from galamsey activities,” the statement highlighted.
The union leaders are demanding swift government action to protect the nation’s water resources.
“As associations and trade unions in the health sector, holding collective bargaining agreements on behalf of health sector employees, we demand that the government immediately bans all small-scale mining operations,” the statement read.
They further urged the government to strengthen regulatory enforcement by providing resources to relevant security agencies to clamp down on violators and ensure swift prosecution.
“All political parties should make public declarations and publish duly signed documents on their commitment to fight illegal and unethical mining activities in Ghana,” the unions added.
