The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel Abu Jinapor, has clarified his remarks about the suggestion to declare a state of emergency to tackle illegal mining, known as galamsey.
He described the idea as “draconian and far-reaching” but emphasized that his comment was not a final stance on the issue.
Mr. Jinapor made the initial remarks during a forum with news editors on Wednesday, September 11, where he cautioned that such a declaration could have significant consequences for the country.
His comments sparked a public backlash, including criticism from the Ghana Federation of Labour (GFL), which called for his resignation, accusing him of downplaying the severity of the galamsey crisis.
In an interview on Eyewitness News on Citi FM, Mr. Jinapor defended his statement, explaining that it was not meant to be seen as his official position.
He said the forum was a public event, and his remarks were intended to invite discussion rather than deliver a conclusive opinion.
“The editors’ forum was public and the footage is available and I did not make a definite statement on that. I said the call is a draconian measure and has far-reaching implications and it requires us to interrogate and examine it carefully and do so collectively to be able to come to a conclusion or come to a consensus as to whether it is the best way forward but I will not, at that stage, make a definitive pronouncement on it or take a conclusive position on that matter.
“It demands that we look at it properly and so I did not make a definite position on that,” the Minister told Umaru Sanda Amadu.
He further assured that “we will not relent on our efforts on the galamsey fight and we remain committed and focused on the fight against galamsey.”
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