Asiedu Nketia rejects calls for state of emergency in Galamsey fight
National Democratic Congress (NDC) Chairman, Johnson Asiedu Nketia, has pushed back against calls for Ghana to declare a state of emergency to address illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey, warning that such a move could endanger the country’s democratic foundations.
Speaking in an interview on Accra-based Channel One TV, Mr. Nketia admitted that galamsey is a grave national concern but argued that suspending constitutional governance in the fight against it would cause more harm than good.
“Work is ongoing to deal with the galamsey problem, and we hope solutions will be found. But I don’t support the idea of declaring a state of emergency. In your frustration, you can call for measures that, when implemented, you may later regret,” he cautioned.
He further explained that many advocates of such drastic action may not fully appreciate the risks involved.
“If you declare a state of emergency to fight galamsey, you suspend the constitution. Security forces can shoot and kill at will.
How do you even confirm that those pulling the triggers are the ones actually fighting illegal mining? That becomes another problem,” he stressed.
Mr. Nketia urged Ghanaians to pursue constructive, lawful, and sustainable solutions, emphasizing that tackling illegal mining requires reforms guided by consensus and anchored in constitutional rule.
He reiterated that the path forward must be rooted in democracy and the rule of law, not extraordinary measures that risk undermining Ghana’s stability.
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