By Daniel Agbesi Latsu
Kadjebi (O/R), Sept. 23, GNA – NPP’s Akan Constituency Communications Officer, Frank Adjei-Worlanyo, has backed Catholic Bishops’ Conference and University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG)’s joint call for the government to declare a state of emergency in regions heavily impacted by illegal mining (galamsey).
Both institutions, in separate but reinforcing statements, described the destruction of the environment and the pollution of water bodies as a national emergency, stressing that the scale of the menace had surpassed local control and required an extraordinary national response.
Speaking to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) at Kadjebi, Mr. Adjei-Worlanyo said the call was timely and reflected the frustration of many Ghanaians with the state’s handling of the crisis.
He criticised the current administration, led by President John Dramani Mahama, for failing to deliver on its campaign pledge to declare a state of emergency within its first 120 days in office to deal with galamsey.
“Key figures in the then-opposition NDC, including Hon. Emmanuel Armah Kofi Buah, now Minister for Lands and Natural Resources; Hon. Sam George, Minister for Communication and Digitalisation; and Hon. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, Minister for Foreign Affairs, were vocal in criticising the former NPP administration for not being tough enough on galamsey,” he recalled.
Mr. Adjei-Worlanyo said it was regrettable that those voices, now in government, appeared to be retreating from their earlier stance despite worsening conditions in mining areas.
“The same urgency and boldness that was demanded from the opposition benches must now be shown from the seat of power,” he stressed.
He lamented the pollution of key rivers such as the Pra, Ankobra, Offin, and Birim—once vital sources of drinking water and livelihoods—through the use of harmful chemicals including mercury and cyanide. He noted that some treatment plants, such as the one at Kwanyako in the Central Region, had been forced to shut down due to heavy contamination, threatening water security in many communities.
The NPP Communicator also expressed concern over the recent surge in the importation of excavators and mining equipment, saying this indicated the deepening entrenchment of the illegal mining network. He noted that galamsey had evolved from artisanal practices into a sophisticated, mechanised industry with links to political, business, and foreign interests.
He warned that growing public disillusionment with political leadership was dangerous for Ghana’s democracy, as citizens increasingly believed that regardless of which party was in power, the results remained unchanged.
“The galamsey fight must not be reduced to a partisan issue but treated as a matter of national survival,” he emphasised.
Mr. Adjei-Worlanyo urged the government to heed the call from the Bishops and UTAG and take decisive action to protect the nation’s natural resources and restore public trust.
As public pressure mounts, the nation awaits a concrete response from the Presidency on the path forward.
GNA
Edited by: Maxwell Awumah/Audrey Dekalu