National Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, has firmly opposed calls for the declaration of a state of emergency as a means to tackle illegal mining in Ghana. He cautioned that such a drastic step could destabilize the country and weaken democratic governance.
Speaking in an interview on Channel One TV on Tuesday, August 26, the NDC Chairman acknowledged that illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey, is indeed a national crisis. However, he emphasized that suspending constitutional rule under the guise of fighting it would create more dangers than solutions.
Mr. Nketiah stressed that many Ghanaians calling for emergency powers do not fully understand the destructive implications. He warned that a suspension of constitutional protections could give security forces unchecked power, leading to abuses without accountability.
He further explained that a state of emergency would allow arbitrary actions, including killings, with no way to ensure such force was being used strictly to combat galamsey. Such outcomes, he argued, would only worsen national insecurity.
Instead of authoritarian shortcuts, the NDC Chairman urged Ghanaians to rally around lawful and sustainable strategies. He maintained that practical reforms rooted in democratic principles offered the best path to ending galamsey and safeguarding the nation’s stability.
