The Executive Director of Eco-Conscious Citizens, Awula Serwah, has reiterated the need for a targeted state of emergency in the fight against illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey.
She argued that such a move is crucial in addressing the ongoing pollution of water bodies, which she described as being “poisoned” by galamsey activities.
According to her, those calling for emergency measures are not seeking a magic solution, but rather a deliberate and concentrated effort to protect Ghana’s natural resources, especially its rivers and forests.
Her comments come in direct response to the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, which earlier dismissed calls for a state of emergency.
READ ALSO: Declaring a state of emergency declaration not the solution to galamsey – Lands Ministry
The Ministry’s Media Relations Officer, Paa Kwesi Schandorf, had insisted that emergency powers are not the ultimate answer to the menace.
He noted that the government has already reclaimed nine forest reserves from illegal miners and argued that current interventions are yielding positive results, making the declaration of a state of emergency unnecessary.
Awula Serwah, however, disagreed with this position, stressing that presenting the fight against galamsey as being under control amounts to “rewriting the history” of how the problem began.
She maintained that a targeted state of emergency remains essential to stopping the destruction of most water bodies and safeguarding the country’s ecological future.
“Those asking for a state of emergency believe it is not a magic wand. We asked for a targeted state of emergency,” she emphasized.
