Member of Parliament for Kpando, Honourable Sebastian Deh, is calling for urgent and decisive action to completely eradicate illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey, across the country.
In an interview with Daily Analyst at Parliament, Hon. Deh paid glowing tribute to the fallen officers, emphasizing that their deaths must not be in vain.
He described the accident as a painful reminder of the grave dangers posed by illegal mining, noting that the victims were on a mission to deliberate on solutions to the galamsey crisis when tragedy struck.
“These were brilliant, committed individuals who died in service to this nation.
If not for galamsey, these precious and great minds would still be with us today.
The government must stand its ground and take aggressive steps to confront and eliminate this menace once and for all,” he lamented.
The Kpando legislator urged the government to go beyond rhetoric and implement a robust and coordinated strategy to root out illegal mining, which he described as an “albatross” around the country’s neck.
He proposed a total moratorium on all galamsey activities as one of the key measures to be adopted.
When asked whether he supports declaring a State of Emergency in galamsey-prone areas—a proposal earlier suggested by the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC)—Hon. Deh said while such a declaration could be effective, he believes a more proactive and sustainable approach is needed.
He emphasized the importance of balancing enforcement with the livelihoods of those involved in the practice.
“This is not just an environmental or security issue; it is a national crisis.
We must act with urgency, but also with humanity,” he added.
Story by : Prosper Kwaku Selassy Agbitor
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