Ghanatodayonline.com News, Politics, Health, Education & More
In an effort to combat unlawful small-scale mining, the pressure group OccupyGhana (OG) has urged President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to impose a state of emergency in each mining region in Ghana (galamsey).
The group wants the administration to bring the facts and events leading to the declaration of the state of emergency under Article 31 before the house when parliament is brought back from recess (2).
In a statement reminding the President of his pledge to combat galamsey, OG said, “Considering the gravity of the situation, we fully expect Parliament to agree with the government and provide that the state of emergency should remain for such period as Parliament may determine so that the government can get a grasp of the situation.”
Every Monday, the group claimed, it will remind the President of the urgency of combating galamsey, which has ravaged the nation’s water resources and forest cover.
“We risk losing our very essence as a nation unless immediate and radical action is taken, first to STOP all unregulated and illegal mining, and then put a process in place to REGULATE artisanal mining, going forward”.
Read the full statement below:
Our Ref: OG/2022/038
Accra, 3 October 2022
Mr President:
GALAMSEY REMINDER (NO 1) – DECLARE A STATE OF EMERGENCY IN ALL MINING AREAS
In our open letter to you dated 28 September 2022, we promised to send you a Galamsey Reminder every Monday morning until your government takes drastic steps to control the situation. This is the first Reminder.
We are convinced that the unprecedented and rampant scale of unregulated and illegal mining has reached a stage where under Article 31(9) of the Constitution, it constitutes a ‘situation in which any action is taken or is immediately threatened to be taken by any person or body of persons which—
(a) is calculated or likely to deprive the community of the essentials of life; or
(b) renders necessary the taking of measures which are required for securing the public safety, the defence of Ghana and the maintenance of public order and of supplies and services essential to the life of the community.’
We risk losing our very essence as a nation unless immediate and radical action is taken, first to STOP all unregulated and illegal mining, and then put a process in place to REGULATE artisanal mining, going forward.
We, therefore, request that you take immediate steps toward declaring a state of emergency in every mining area in Ghana. In accordance with article 31(1) of the Constitution, these steps would be, first, seeking and obtaining the advice of the Council of State and, second, publishing a Proclamation of the declaration in the Gazette.
Thereafter we expect Parliament to be recalled from its vacation, for the government to place before it ‘the facts and circumstances leading to the declaration of the state of emergency’ under article 31(2). Considering the gravity of the situation, we fully expect Parliament to agree with the government and provide that the state of emergency should remain for such period as Parliament may determine so that the government can get a grasp of the situation.
For our part, we have, and are willing to offer suggestions and proposals on how to establish a properly regulated artisanal mining industry in Ghana that would benefit the wider interest of all Ghanaians.
Yours in the service of God and Country
OccupyGhana
cc. All Media Houses
