The Ghana Catholic Bishops' Conference has demanded President John Dramani Mahama to declare a state of emergency in the Galamsey-hit areas.
According to the Catholic Bishops, the action would give extraordinary interventions.
In addition to the request to place the nation in state of emergency, they also added that galamsey fight also requires an integrated, comprehensive national strategy.
Their request comes at a time when President John Dramani Mahama stated that he has taken a pause to place the nation in state of emergency in the fight against galamsey because they have not attempted to utilize all powers to fight illegal mining.
President Mahama signaled this at the media meeting in Accra on Wednesday, September 10. "I've been reluctant to issue a state of emergency against galamsey because we've not exercised the powers we even have without a state of emergency," he explained.
He reiterated that government agencies already have the mandate to arrest perpetrators, seize machinery, and enforce forest conservation laws.
We have the authority to arrest anyone, to confiscate any such object. The law of forest protection and all else gives us enough powers to be sufficiently capable," he continued.
But the Catholic Bishops, in a statement, said that "We therefore call on the President and his administration to proclaim, without delay, a state of emergency in the most impacted mining areas and surrounding threatened bodies of water. Such proclamation would give powers to extraordinary measures: curfews in unstable regions, the takeover of ravaged lands, the dismantling of rooted criminal syndicates, and the stopping of corrupt administrative complicity. The magnitude of the crisis calls for nothing less.".
But we insist: a pronouncement, urgent as it is, is not sufficient. Ghana requires an integrated, all-embracing national policy. The law of mining must be revised, sharpened, and enforced rigorously, with stricter penalties for offenders. Special courts should be established to expedite prosecutions. An anti-corruption, well-trained, and permanent task force should be constituted, comprising security agencies, environmentalists, and local government authorities, for continuous enforcement beyond occasional bursts of anti-corruption blitz.".
"Nevertheless, justice should be tempered with mercy. The needy need to be given sustainable alternatives to galamsey. Regulated small-scale mining zones could be provided, with environmental protection and technical support. The displaced farmers must be compensated in terms of land, credit, and training.". There ought to be a national afforestation and reclamation initiative, not only for healing the scars of devastation but also to generate decent employment, especially among young people. We challenge President Mahama to show the leadership boldness. His government must prosecute the poor and the mighty; the weak and the networked. Without courage, no policy will stand, no law will be upheld, no proclamation will succeed.
