Former Convention People’s Party (CPP) running mate, Wayoe Ghanamannti Esq., has criticised the decision to revoke the Legislative Instrument (L.I.) on illegal mining, saying it does little to address the real damage caused by galamsey and risks endangering the future of the country.
Speaking on Prime Insight on Joy Prime, Mr Ghanamannti said the fight against illegal mining has reached a critical stage but accused civil society organisations (CSOs) of losing momentum after initially taking a strong public stance.
“The fight against galamsey is becoming critical. From what I’ve seen, the CSOs made a lot of noise after they went to the Jubilee House for a meeting. All of them have gone quiet.”
He described what he called growing hypocrisy in the country’s democratic practice, arguing that strong words are often not matched with firm action.
“We think we are democratic, but the hypocrisy is too much,” he stated.
He said if illegal mining is truly considered an existential threat, then tougher measures must be taken. He warned that galamsey poses serious dangers to public health and the environment.
“If you say that galamsey is existential, it is a danger to the citizens of this country. People are being deformed, newborns are being affected, and our waters are getting damaged. Somebody must be held responsible.”
According to him, revoking the L.I. does not address the core problem of environmental destruction.
“The L.I. does not purify the waters,” he said. “The L.I. is not going to remove the contaminated nature of the soil.”
He warned that polluted land could remain unusable for decades. “We are being told that when the soil gets contaminated, it’s going to take about 50, 60, 70 years to recover. By that time, you and I will be gone.”
Ghanamannti argued that Ghana is “joking with the future of this country” by treating galamsey as a political issue rather than a national emergency. He said the only meaningful response is for the President to declare a state of emergency in affected areas.
“John Mahama is the one to call for a state of emergency and halt the activity. When you call a state of emergency, you put the country on red alert. It means you can properly deploy the military.”
He criticised CSOs who initially called for a state of emergency but later retreated from that position.
“Everybody was saying, ‘Let’s call a state of emergency,’ and all of a sudden, they are chickening out. As for me, my constitutional duty under Article 41 as a citizen means I won’t chicken out.”
Drawing comparisons with Singapore, Ghanamannti said firm leadership and tough enforcement are sometimes necessary to change behaviour.
“Human beings as we are, sometimes we want force. That is why when leaders take hard measures, we later applaud them.”
He cited Singapore’s strict laws against public spitting as an example of how discipline was enforced through decisive action.
“Singaporeans used to spit everywhere. They don’t do that today because strong measures were taken. It was filthy, and leadership dealt with it.”
Mr Ghanamannti insisted that only a state of emergency would draw clear red lines and deter illegal miners.
“When Ghanaians know there is a state of emergency in specific areas, trust me, they won’t go there,” he said. “But with these laws we revoke, people will still go there. DCEs and MCEs are still involved.”
He said that his argument is not about personalities but about constitutional responsibility.
“It’s not about the person sitting there. It’s about the laws.”
He referenced Article 69 of the Constitution, which provides grounds for the removal of a president whose conduct is deemed harmful to the state.
“The Constitution says there shall be a president who is head of state and commander-in-chief. It doesn’t mention names. Anybody who occupies that position must act.”
Mr Ghanamannti questioned why Article 69 is rarely enforced if Ghana claims to be a constitutional democracy. “If we say we are constitutionalists and we have Article 69, why are we not giving a premium to it?” he asked.
He also criticised the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, accusing him of failing to act on a notice he submitted.
“With all due respect, Alban Bagbin is one of the democratic hypocrites. He uses the same Constitution in Parliament, quotes Scripture, but when it comes to proper action, he is not doing it.”
He clarified that his submission was a notice, not a petition, and said the Speaker has no authority to withhold it. “The Constitution is clear. When I bring a notice under Article 69, send it to the Chief Justice. The Speaker cannot hold on to it.”
According to him, the Chief Justice must then set up a panel to determine whether there is a prima facie case.
“If the Chief Justice says there is no prima facie case, I’ll be excited,” he said. “Then Ghana and posterity will know that no wrong was done.”
He warned again that repealing the L.I. alone will not save the environment. “Repealing the L.I have not solved the problem because the point is that if LEAD gets into the soil, it’s going to take about 70, 80, 100 years to be revived. That is scary,” he said.
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