The Executive Director of the Centre for Public Opinion and Awareness (CenPOA), a non-partisan civil society organisation founded to promote civic engagement, has described as “purely political” the comments by NDC Chairman Johnson Asiedu Nketiah that declaring a state of emergency on galamsey is needless.

Michael Donyina Mensah argued that Asiedu Nketiah’s position contradicts what the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) advocated for while in opposition.

According to the policy analyst, the NDC consistently criticized the previous government over illegal mining activities and promised to declare a state of emergency if it won power. However, after winning power, the party’s position appears to have shifted, raising questions about its credibility.

National Chairman of the NDC, Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, recently dismissed calls for a state of emergency in the fight against illegal mining, warning that such a move could plunge Ghana into chaos and undermine democratic rule.

Reacting to this, Donyina Mensah described the assertion as unprincipled, stressing that the party had the opportunity to dissociate itself from the Chairman’s comments but failed to do so.

“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,” he said.

He clarified that those calling for a state of emergency are demanding it only in the areas most affected by illegal mining.

“Galamsey is not only destroying our environment but also taking lives. You would be surprised at the number of lives lost through illegal mining,” he added.

Donyina Mensah further noted that the eight individuals who lost their lives in the recent helicopter crash should serve as a wake-up call for Ghana to deal with galamsey once and for all.

“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.

He concluded that declaring a state of emergency cannot be completely ruled out if its impact will help address the galamsey menace.