State of Emergency needed to tackle galamsey crisis – Abu Jinapor

Samuel Abu Jinapor is the Member of Parliament for Damongo. He is also the Ranking Member on the Foreign Affairs Committee. He has urged President John Dramani Mahama and the NDC to declare a state of emergency over illegal mining, known as galamsey.

In an interview on Asempa FM’s Ekosii Sen, Mr. Jinapor emphasized that this declaration is necessary. The NDC made a clear promise about this before the 2024 election.

“They were very clear in their promises before coming to power,” he said. “If they will not follow through, they should inform the people.”

Mr. Jinapor noted that the galamsey issue has worsened since the election. This makes declaring a state of emergency even more urgent.

“Today, galamsey is worse off,” he stated. “If a state of emergency can help curb it, why not declare it?”

He highlighted the need for principled politics and governance. Consistency is crucial for building a nation.

“We need to insist on politics and governance based on principles,” he said. “Ghanaians voted for them; they should do what is right.”

Meanwhile, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, affirmed the government's commitment to tackling illegal mining activities.

He mentioned that the government is considering all options. This includes declaring a state of emergency and temporarily banning small-scale mining to address the issue effectively.