Galamsey fight: Mahama wasn’t honest about state of emergency from the onset — Seth Acheampong

Former Eastern Regional Minister under the Akufo-Addo administration, Seth Acheampong, has criticised President John Dramani Mahama over what he described as dishonesty on the issue of declaring a state of emergency in the fight against illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey.

President Mahama had explained at a media encounter on Wednesday, September 10, that declaring a state of emergency should only be considered as a last resort.

He stressed that the country still has sufficient legal tools to combat the menace without resorting to such drastic measures.

Reacting on Channel One TV’s Breakfast Daily programme on Thursday, September 11, Mr. Acheampong said while he agreed with the President’s position, the NDC leader was not truthful with Ghanaians when he was in opposition.

“As we assess our country, let us be honest about the issues so that when our backs are against the wall, people will appreciate what we are doing,” he said.

He argued that declaring a state of emergency involves serious constitutional and security considerations, which make it impractical in dealing with illegal mining.

“From my experience, there is no way we can just wake up and declare a state of emergency. It comes with several implications, including threats to state authority and stability,” he explained.

The former minister further noted that the government’s current stance shows that campaign promises to declare “war” on galamsey were misleading.

According to him, the reality of governance has exposed the gap between political rhetoric and practical solutions.