By: Adams Perpetual
The Convenor of the Media Coalition Against Galamsey, Ing. Kenneth Ashigbey, has renewed calls for government to declare a state of emergency to curb the worsening menace of illegal mining.
He argues that the scale of destruction to Ghana’s environment, water bodies, and farmlands demands urgent and extraordinary measures, beyond the routine interventions currently being deployed.
Speaking passionately, Ing. Ashigbey stressed that a state of emergency is not about “killing people” or trampling on rights, but rather about restricting access to sensitive areas and empowering security agencies to act with speed and precision.
He insisted that politically exposed persons, described as the “elephants in the room,” must also be held accountable, not just the small-scale operators who are often arrested.
Ing. Ashigbey said this on GTV Breakfast Show on September 17, 2025, where the discussion focused on next steps in the fight against galamsey.
He commended the Catholic Bishops’ Conference, UTAG, and other civil society bodies for joining the chorus of voices demanding tougher measures, but warned that timelines and clear milestones are needed if government interventions are to be effective.
He lamented that over 960 families in parts of the Central Region have already lost their farmlands, with more than 556 acres destroyed. The situation, he said, is “not a future crisis but an existential one” — with kidney diseases on the rise, water treatment costs skyrocketing, and even birth defects being recorded in affected areas. “If poisoning an enemy’s water in wartime is considered a war crime, what do we say about citizens poisoning their own?” he asked.
“We expect the president to fire MCEs who are complicit and quiet on Galamsey.“
Ing. Ashigbey also called for the dismissal of Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) and security officials who fail to act, describing them as either “incompetent or complicit.”
At the same time, he urged government to accelerate reforms to the Minerals and Mining Act, create a medium-scale mining category, and support responsible miners, while providing alternative livelihoods for those willing to transition.
“This is not about NPP or NDC. It is about the survival of you and I. The water we drink today, we don’t even know its toxicity. This is a major human rights issue and an existential crisis. If we do not act now, it will consume us,” he concluded.
