Water is essential for all life, yet illegal mining activities are severely compromising our drinking water sources. There is an urgent need for the government to declare a state of emergency to address this critical issue.
The pollution of our river bodies has reached a dangerous level, and it is imperative that the government responds to the calls from organized labor and civil society organizations to halt all mining activities. This action is necessary to protect lives, water bodies, the environment, and vegetation.
Thomas Musah Tanko, General Secretary of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), made these comments on the Adekyee Mu Nsem morning show on Ahotor 92.3 FM, hosted by Citizen Kofi Owusu in Accra. Tanko emphasized that the situation has reached a point where demonstrations may be necessary to compel the government to end illegal mining, or “galamsey,” particularly in forests and along river bodies.
In a related development, the Ghana Federation of Labour (GFL) has called for the resignation of Samuel Abu Jinapor, Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, following his comments on the calls for a state of emergency to address illegal mining.
During a media engagement in Accra, Minister Jinapor described the call for President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to declare a state of emergency as “draconian,” warning that such a move would have significant consequences for the country.
Kenneth Koomson, Deputy Secretary General of the GFL, expressed strong dissatisfaction with the minister’s response. Koomson criticized Jinapor’s remarks, accusing him of either misunderstanding the gravity of the situation or deliberately downplaying it.
In an interview with the media, Koomson condemned Jinapor’s comments, questioning his capability to effectively manage the fight against illegal mining.
He stated, “The minister clearly appears to be ill-informed and ill-equipped, or perhaps pretending not to understand the severity of the issues we face. To describe the call for a state of emergency as draconian is not only unfortunate but indicative of a deliberate attempt to ignore the destruction of our vital water sources.
“For the minister to label this necessary action as draconian is deeply concerning. He must resign because his comments reveal a fundamental misunderstanding of the issues and demonstrate that he is not fit for his position.
“The decimation of 2.5 million hectares of forest reserve by galamsey activities means that our entire country is at risk from the actions of a few destructive individuals.”
Story by: Alexander Kukah
