The Executive Director of the Centre for Public Opinion and Awareness (CenPOA), Michael Donyina Mensah, has slammed the NDC Chairman, Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, following his recent comment on the declaration of a state of emergency on galamsey.
According to the CenPOA boss, he disagrees with Asiedu Nketiah, who said a state of emergency on galamsey was needless.
He asserted that the declaration of a state of emergency cannot be completely ruled out if it can help address the galamsey menace.
The CenPOA boss stated, “I disagree with Asiedu Nketiah, and I believe he was engaging in politics. In the run-up to the 2024 elections, some leading members of the NDC supported the call for a state of emergency, and the party never opposed it. Only rejecting it now that they are in power smacks of political expediency”.
“Galamsey is not only destroying our environment but also taking lives. You would be surprised at the number of lives lost through illegal mining”.
“We lost eight gallant and noble citizens through the helicopter crash due to galamsey. Are we going to allow greed for money to destroy our water bodies and forest reserves?” he questioned.
Also, Professor Eric Abavare, the President of the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), has said he is shocked to the marrow about the remarks made by the Johnson Asiedu Nketiah.
According to the KNUST UTAG President, John Asiedu Nketiah, comments on the declaration of a state of emergency on galamsey are reckless.
In a Facebook post in reaction to Asiedu Nketia’s comment, the UTAG president wrote, “I am shocked to the marrow about the recent reckless statement by the Chairman of NDC, Mr Asiedu Nketiah, aka General Mosquito, regarding the galamsey fight on Channel One TV face to face program.
I am shocked because he decrys calling a state of emergency as suspending the constitution in those galamsey-affected areas. My question to him, Mr Nketia, is, was he in Ghana when the state of emergency was called in Bawku? Was the Constitution also not suspended then?”.
According to the UTAG President, the NDC has changed its stance on the declaration of a state of emergency on galamsey.
“Before the general election, was calling the state of emergency not the position of the NDC? Not too long ago, we heard the President of Ghana, HE John Dramani Mahama, calling for the same thing. Since when did the calling of a state of emergency become a constitutional breach and the NDC Chairman change that position of his party and the President’s against galamsey fight?
So he knew this, and they were calling the erstwhile administration to do the same? What a 419 swindle of Ghanaians by the NDC Chairman”, he noted.
Prof Abavare further invoked the memory of Major Maxwell Mahama and the eight Ghanaians who perished in the August 6 helicopter crash.
“I challenge the ghosts of Major Maxwell Mahama and the perished eight officials that they sacrificed nothing with needless death for the cause of galamsey.
Mr Asiedu Nketia, I condemn your statement in the strongest terms possible and feel very sad too by it”, his post concluded.
Their comments comes after Johnson Asiedu Nketiah said he does not subscribe to calls from some sections of Ghanaians for the government to declare a state of emergency on galamsey.
Asiedu Nketia warn that the declaration of a state of emergency on galamsey will lead to the suspension of the constitution, which could lead to people shooting and killing at will.
According to Asiedu Nketia, illegal mining is a pressing issue, and the government is working to find solutions to it.
Speaking on Channel One TV’s Face to Face on Tuesday, August 26, Asiedu Nketia detailed, “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”.
“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.
The NDC chairman further called on the public to propose constructive and sustainable solutions to the fight against illegal.
Asiedu Nketia emphasised that the fight against illegal mining must be deep-rooted in the rule of law rather than measures that will undermine Ghana’s democracy.