Felix Kwakye Ofosu, the Presidential Spokesperson and Minister of State for Government Communications, has said President John Mahama has not ruled out declaring a state of emergency on galamsey.
The Presidential Spokesperson revealed that Mahama is keeping the option of a state of emergency open and will only go that route if the situation becomes necessary.
Speaking on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show, Mr Kwakye Ofosu stated, “Let me indicate that on the matter of state of emergency, the president said that there are conventional approaches that are currently being deployed that he believes would help us achieve the objective of wiping out this canker once and for all. And that when it becomes necessary, a state of emergency may be deployed”.
“It actually means that you set aside laws as they are and adopt extraordinary, sometimes very harsh, very drastic measures in order to beat back a particular problem.
“It comes with its own difficulties, and therefore, the declaration of the same must be based on tangible reasoning. You must have a sufficient basis to do that so that you are very clear that the consequences that will result will be worth the effort”, he noted.
Felix Kwakye Ofosu added, “He believes earnestly that currently, some gains are being made that could be sustained. And as and when we get to a stage when it is absolutely necessary to deploy those measures that will create some absolute discomfort for ordinary citizens, and may involve measures that may not necessarily be in tandem with the way that our laws should function, he will take the decision”.
“The government appreciates the genuine concern surrounding the issue of galamsey because of the threats that it poses. It has naturally become an emotive subject. People are deeply concerned about it, and they want urgent action. The government understands that fully, and such urgent action is underway,” he said.
Kwakye Ofosu added that John Mahama, since becoming president, has done everything necessary to ensure that we combat galamsey.
He further added that Mahama never gave any timelines for ending illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey.
The minister explained, “To be fair, if you want to assess a president, you will have to take him by his own words and actions, the commitments that he made. President Mahama did not give any timelines to ending galamsey”.
“He said at the media encounter that he was not under any illusion that by the wink of the magic wand, galamsey will end because it is an insidious problem,” Mr Kwakye Ofosu added.
He added, “Government fully appreciates the genuine concerns people have expressed on galamsey, and these are not matters we take lightly”.
“We cannot pretend it is an easy fight, but what we can assure Ghanaians is that the government has not lost sight of its duty to protect lives, livelihoods and the environment,” he noted.
Meanwhile, Oliver Barker-Vormawor, the Convenor of FixTheCountry, has announced an anti-galamsey vigil on Sunday, September 21.
In a social media post, Barker-Vormawor highlighted the need to protect Ghana’s environment.
According to Vormawor, the responsibility to protect and preserve the Environment is by divine assignment as Ghanaians.
Vormawor announced that the vigil would be followed by a public march on Monday, 22 September, a national holiday, to draw more attention to the environmental crisis of urgent proportions.
In his post, the social activist wrote, “The responsibility to protect and preserve the Environment is by divine assignment, ours as a people.
Our responsibility to end Galamsey does not end at elections. Nor does it begin after our party loses one.
This is bigger than petty politics.
On Sunday, 21st September, we will have a vigil at the Revolution Square, and on Monday, 22nd (a holiday), there will be a march calling attention to the urgency of our environmental crisis. Join us”.
Watch the video below: