The Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) has expressed skepticism about the effectiveness of the five-member ad hoc ministerial committee set up by President Nana Akufo-Addo to tackle illegal mining, also known as galamsey.

According to GNAT, the committee’s efforts are "dead on arrival."

In an interview with Accra-based Channel One TV, GNAT's General Secretary, Thomas Musah, voiced doubts about the committee’s potential to bring any new solutions to the ongoing galamsey crisis.

• Read also: Akufo-Addo sets up 5-member ministerial ad-hoc committee to assess galamsey fight

He suggested that previous attempts by government officials had failed, and this new team was unlikely to make a significant impact.

“The constitution of the new committee by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is dead on arrival because the only new person there is the Minister for Employment and Labour Relations and these ministers will soon go and contest in their various constituencies and there is no way they will get time to get this thing done," he said.

President Akufo-Addo announced the formation of the committee on Friday, September 13, naming the National Security Minister, Albert Kan-Dapaah, as its chairman, alongside four other key ministers.

The committee was tasked with engaging stakeholders and evaluating the government’s efforts in combating illegal mining.

However, GNAT pointed out that many of the ministers appointed to the committee are currently focused on their campaigns for the upcoming December 7 elections.

This, the association argues, leaves little time for them to dedicate to addressing the critical issue of illegal mining.

Mr Musah stressed that, given the time constraints and political priorities of the ministers involved, the committee's ability to effectively combat galamsey and protect the environment is highly doubtful.

“In any case, the promise [to end galamsey] was made by the president and not ministers and we have gone past this stage already and therefore the invitation by the committee for us to meet them on Tuesday is a non-starter and we are asking that a state of emergency must be declared given the evidence that we have," he stated.