The National Chairman of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, has opposed calls for the imposition of a state of emergency in Ghana’s efforts to combat illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey.

According to the National Chairman, while the menace has escalated into a national crisis, suspending constitutional governance to fight it would prove detrimental to Ghana’s democracy by plunging the nation into chaos.

“Work is being done on 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 during an interview on Channel One TV on Tuesday, August 26, 2025.

He noted that some advocates of a state of emergency may not be fully abreast of the consequences it poses.

“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,” Asiedu Nketiah argued.

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He called on Ghanaians to advocate for practical and sustainable solutions grounded in the rule of law, emphasising that the solution to galamsey lies in broad-based reforms and not authoritarian shortcuts.

Under Ghana’s 1992 Constitution, a state of emergency can be declared by the President under Article 31 when there is a situation that threatens public safety, national defense, or essential services, such as actions likely to deprive communities of life’s essentials.

The declaration requires consultation with the Council of State and publication in the Gazette, with Parliament approving and reviewing the measure within specified periods.

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It allows extraordinary measures, including suspending certain constitutional rights, to address the crisis.

Recent calls for a state of emergency to combat galamsey stem from its severe environmental and social impacts, including the destruction of 44% of Ghana’s 288 forest reserves.

The menace has also led to the pollution of major rivers like the Pra and Ankobra, as well as, posing health risks like kidney failure and birth defects to residents of galamsey endemic areas.

Since 2024, groups like OccupyGhana, the Ghana Coalition Against Galamsey, and the Ghana Union of Traders’ Associations (GUTA) have urged various governments to declare a state of emergency in galamsey-affected areas, citing threat to water security, food production, and public health.

GA/VPO

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