Galamsey: End impunity and commit to state of emergency – Abu Jinapor to govt

Former Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel Abu Jinapor, has spoken out. He is also the Member of Parliament for Damongo. Jinapor urged the government to act decisively against illegal mining, known as galamsey.

On April 16, he appeared on The Point of View on Channel One TV. He highlighted three key areas for urgent government focus. Jinapor expressed concern about political involvement in illegal mining activities.

He described this involvement as a disturbing trend. "There is a clear case of political actors involved in illegal small-scale mining," he said. He added that some politicians feel entitled to participate in galamsey.

Jinapor criticized the culture of impunity surrounding illegal mining. He called on the government to confront this issue directly. "The government must critically address the culture of impunity," he stated.

He also reminded the government of its manifesto promise made while in opposition. This promise was to declare a state of emergency in mining districts within 120 days after taking office. "The opposition supported civil society's call and promised action when elected," he noted.

Jinapor urged clarity from the government regarding this commitment. "They should announce if they will impose a state of emergency or not," he said. Leaving it unclear is not an acceptable approach, according to him.