The National Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, has rejected calls for the declaration of a state of emergency in the fight against illegal mining, cautioning that such a move could endanger Ghana’s democracy.
Speaking on Channel One TV’s Face to Face on Tuesday, August 26, he acknowledged that illegal mining remains a pressing national crisis but warned that suspending constitutional rule in the name of addressing it would create more problems than solutions.
“Work is being done about the galamsey fight, and we hope to be able to find solutions to it. But I don’t subscribe to the declaration of the state of emergency as other people are suggesting. In your frustration, you can call for certain measures that, when we begin implementing, you may live to regret,” he cautioned.
Mr. Nketiah argued that many of those calling for such drastic action may not fully understand the consequences of emergency rule.
“If you intend to deal with galamsey and you declare a state of emergency, it means you have suspended the constitution. People can shoot and kill at will. How will you be sure that those who are shooting and killing are the ones fighting galamsey? That is another matter,” he noted.
He urged the public to focus on proposing constructive and sustainable solutions, stressing that the fight against illegal mining requires broad-based reforms rooted in the rule of law.
He, however, maintains that the path forward must be rooted in the rule of law and consensus-driven reforms rather than extraordinary measures that could undermine Ghana’s democracy.
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