Agric Minister Dismisses Calls For State Of Emergency: "Communities Must Fight"
- The Food and Agriculture Minister Bryan Acheampong said calls for the declaration of a state of emergency to combat illegal mining is counterproductive
- He said engaging the community and involving them in the anti-galamsey fight would yield more results
- He called for a more decentralised effort at combatting galamsey with community folks at the forefront
Food and Agriculture Minister Bryan Acheampong has dismissed calls for the declaration of a state of emergency to combat illegal mining in the country.
According to him, declaring a state of emergency would be counterproductive without the active participation of local communities.
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The Minister stated that a national dialogue is what is needed to confront the crisis head-on.
In an interview on JoyNews, he acknowledged that while the government’s deployment of military personnel may seem to produce some results in the short term, it would not be a sustainable venture.
He said the galamsey issue goes beyond the scope of military or police actions.
Bryan Acheampong said to stop the galamsey issue once and for all, the central government’s enforcement of the laws should go hand in hand with communal efforts to stop illegal miners from operating in their area.
He said community members most affected by the galamsey menace ought to take the lead in protecting their lands, water sources and resources from being exploited and destroyed.
He argued that had the community folk fought against those polluting their rivers and destroying their land they would have had the immediate backing of the government and security agencies.
“But if you wait for the central government to bring in soldiers or police, they don’t come and stay there,” he said.
Bryan Acheampong on DCEs role in galamsey
The Food and Agriculture Minister, Bryan Acheampong, also argued against the notion that District Chief Executives were solely to blame for the proliferation of galamsey in their areas.
“Are you saying the DCE is the only one looking on for all this to happen? Galamsey is happening in communities, not in the DCE’s house,” he said.
He said there were others in the local governance structure who lived in the very communities where the illegal activity is happening and are better placed to play a vital role in stopping the proliferation of galamsey in their communities.
He added that the fight against galamsey must be decentralised to ensure maximum effect.
Lands Minister downplays state of emergency
YEN.com.gh reported that the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources Samuel Jinapor has downplayed calls for a state of emergency because of illegal mining.
The lands minister said calling a state of emergency could worsen social and economic instability.
Jinapor assured that the fight against illegal mining was still a top priority of the Akufo-Addo administration.
Proofread by Berlinda Entsie, journalist and copy editor at YEN.com.gh
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Source: YEN.com.gh
