Communication Minister Sam Nartey George has rejected suggestions that he called for a state of emergency in the fight against illegal mining, insisting his call has always been for targeted operations.
Speaking on JoyNews’ PM Express on September 30, he said surgical strikes by the security forces were the best way to deal with galamsey.
“Let me put it on record here, I have never talked about a state of emergency. I believe that you can have targeted operations without necessarily declaring a state of emergency.
“People have said ‘Sam George calls for a state of emergency’…I have never, ever called for a state of emergency,” he said.
The minister described galamsey as Ghana’s most pressing threat.
“Don’t forget I said, and I still stand by, that galamsey remains the biggest existential threat to our nation, and that galamsey is Ghana’s version of Colombia’s drug cartels.
“I’ve said that you can have targeted surgical operations led by our security forces. And I believe that we’re on our way there,” he said.
Mr George said President Mahama had shown more will to deal with the problem than the previous government.
“President Mahama has been president for nine months now. Do I wish I have seen more? Absolutely. I wish it’s ended today.
“But in the nine months, I can confidently say that I see a desire and a will to deal with galamsey that didn’t exist in the previous eight years,” he said.
He contrasted Mahama’s actions with the past administration.
“I see a president who has asked the security services to investigate two of his own national executives on allegations of being involved in galamsey.
“Meanwhile, under the previous president, you had a regional chairman talking to a minister saying that they must engage in galamsey because ‘party hiya sika.’
“And the president went to campaign for that individual in their party’s elections. You saw the tacit endorsement of the presidency then of party apparatchiks getting involved in galamsey,” he said.
According to him, President Mahama had already chalked up progress.
“I see a president who, under the immediate past, may his soul rest in peace, Defence Minister Dr Omane Boamah, had the military carry out operations and recover seven out of nine forest reserves where mining operations were. All of this, in seven months.
“In fact, on Friday, October 3, the president has invited over 30 CSOs to come and sit with him, for us to develop that roadmap and work collectively to rid our country of the menace of galamsey,” he said.
Mr George added that while progress had been made, enforcement needed to go further.
“A lot more in terms of enforcement, we could move a bit faster. I believe that there could be a lot more. And again, I see the work. I see the briefs in the cabinet that the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources brings, the joint briefs between himself and other sectoral ministers working towards this.
“So I have seen it, and I know what’s going on. I’m just saying that we need, we don’t need to rest on our oars,” he said.
He said Ghanaians voted for a change, and the government had a duty to deliver.
“Ghanaians voted for us as a political party because they thought that we will do better, and we should do better. And all I’m saying is, let’s not rest on our oars.
“Yes, the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources has started fantastically well. They’re doing a lot of work, working under the auspices of the president. But let’s not relent.
“Let’s go all out and win this war, if not for anything, in memory of the eight gallant sons who died in the helicopter crash,” he said.
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