Chairman of the NPP Council of Elders, Hackman Owusu-Agyeman, has cautioned that a declaration of a state of emergency will not automatically resolve the worsening galamsey crisis.
Speaking on Joy News’ PM Express on September 17, he admitted that illegal mining has gotten worse but stressed that declaring an emergency must come with clarity and concrete steps.
“If that is the way to go to correct the situation, yes, then I’ll support it. But is it the way to go? You just don’t get up and say, declare a state of emergency. What are the details? What are we declaring? I’ve declared a state of emergency. So what? What is it?” he questioned.
He insisted that a declaration without a roadmap risks being an empty gesture.
“Let us get a list of when you declare a state of emergency, the things that you go through, and things that will happen, then that must happen.
“And, for that matter, then begin to solve the problem and salvage the river bodies and systems and everybody,” he explained.
Asked if he agreed with President Mahama’s position that Ghana was not yet at the point of declaring an emergency, Mr Owusu-Agyeman was cautious.
“With the utmost respect, that is his view that we are not there yet. Some people think that, if that is, I always prefix what I saw with if the state of emergency is what will solve the situation, then by all means will do it.
But if it’s not, be it and end it all. If it’s not going to be the thing that will solve the situation immediately, then you have to look at it and do it properly. Otherwise, you might find that you have made a situation even worse,” he warned.
He further stressed that a state of emergency cannot be treated lightly.
“The state of emergency is not something that you do just like that. You have to go through certain motions, and you have to give the populace advice and why you are doing that sort of thing.
So, the state of emergency, I would want that to begin to expatiate on what that would achieve,” he said.
The veteran politician underscored the urgency of finding lasting solutions to protect water bodies.
“Water is very important, so the earlier we find the solution today, the better. I’m saying, if the state of emergency is the one that should do it, then let’s do it. But if there are other ways of doing it, also let it,” he emphasised.
He concluded by noting that any declaration must be purposeful.
“Because the moment you start a state of emergency, every little thing, no, it doesn’t, but there’s a major issue, major issue.
“So I think that those who are calling for a state of emergency have up their sleeves the reasons why and how we would go to make sure that we achieve the results.
“If you have a state of emergency, and you don’t achieve the result, then you would have really disturbed the constitutional processes for nothing,” he said.
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