A national emergency should be declared to reflect on galamsey activities – Prof Agyeman Duah
Chief Executive Officer of the John Agyekum Kufuor Foundation, Professor Baffour Agyeman has described President Akufo-Addo’s summoning of the Metropolitan Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) as better late than never.
Sharing his opinion on the President’s call during an interview on TV3 on 5th October 2022, he said, “It would have been better if he had held the meeting long ago and I am glad he admitted that he needed the cooperation of the chiefs and also the fact he deemed the important call as a national issue which should be devoid of any partisanship and all in all it is good that the president is showing leadership in the struggle that has been lingering on for years’.’
On the seeming loss of interest by the citizenry in the president’s call to battle the illegal mining menace, Prof Agyeman Duah said, “I do not blame them for saying it is a talk shop because for six years under this president and three or so years of the previous government we have not seen any headway at all in this fight so those frustrated have every right that there have been too much talk shops on this fight and that is why the president initiative should be followed up by a national summit which will bring together chiefs, leaders from the various political parties especially the NDC security capos, the miners and everyone should be brought together at the National Summit where this program will discuss thoroughly“.
The former United Nations Governance adviser suggested that during the summit videos of the devastating effects of illegal mining should be shown then followed by some severe discussion and particular decisions taken.
“To me in my humble view, I wish a national emergency should be declared to reflect the urgency of the matter. One major issue we are facing if we are not careful these thousands of men and women digging in these communities have started arming themselves and that could be the beginning of militants in this matter and it is better we find a national way to curtail it.”
On the president cautioning that he would not shield any MMDCE if found culpable, Prof Agyeman Duah said “If after this we do not see any action then we can throw our hands in the air that is why I am making this suggestion that the president should immediately follow up. Everybody says they know the people involved. Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, overlord of the Ashanti Kingdom said it; others also said it. That is why I am suggesting that a national summit should be held to find a national solution to the problem”.
