The Deputy Chief Executive for Operations at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Professor Michael Ayamga-Adongo, has warned that declaring a state of emergency in mining areas could backfire, potentially sparking violent conflicts in local communities.
His caution comes amid mounting calls from civil society organisations and the Catholic Bishops’ Conference for the government to take decisive action against illegal mining, commonly known as galamsey.
Speaking to JoyNews’ Elton Brobbey on The Pulse on Monday, Professor Ayamga-Adongo said the move could worsen tensions rather than resolve the crisis, given the widespread community involvement in galamsey.
“It’s easier said than done. Declare a state of emergency, go there with guns and shoot people,” he said, highlighting how the character of illegal mining has evolved over the years. “Two, three years ago, we would have said, okay, it’s Chinese financing illegal mining, and then you had businessmen and politicians involved. Now, we are increasingly seeing community involvement… If we take in guns there, we are going to have a blood bath.”
He further cautioned that proponents of an emergency may be underestimating the long-term consequences.
“Everybody calling for the state of emergency, they don’t know what they are calling for… because the cost of human life there is going to be enormous. We may not even end galamsey in the end, but instead create a larger conflict,” Professor Ayamga-Adongo warned.
Source: Emma Ankrah
