The Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) has downplayed the effectiveness of the five-member ad hoc ministerial committee set up by President Nana Akufo-Addo to assess the fight against ‘galamsey‘.

The committee chaired by National Security Minister, Albert Kan-Dapaah and supported by four other Ministers have been tasked to engage stakeholders and evaluate the government’s efforts to address galamsey.

However, GNAT Secretary, Thomas Musah has asserted the committee is dead on arrival.

According to him, there is nothing new the committee will bring on board to combat the canker which is destroying the environment and waterbodies.

“The Constitution of the new committee by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is dead on arrival because the only new person there is the Minister for Employment and Labour Relations and these ministers will soon go and contest in their various constituencies and there is no way they will get time to get this thing done.

“In any case, the promise to end galamsey was made by the President and not ministers and we have gone past this stage already and therefore the invitation by the committee for us to meet them on Tuesday is a non-starter and we are asking that a state of emergency must be declared given the evidence that we have,” he said on Accra-based Channel One TV.