The Lands and Natural Resources Minister, Samuel Abu Jinapor, says there must be consultations on the implications of declaring a state of emergency in mining areas.

He contended that since mining activities take place in almost all the regions, government cannot just announce such directive without careful considerations.

Pressure group, OccupyGhana, petitioned President Akufo-Addo to immediately declare a state of emergency in all mining areas to help government streamline mining activities in the country.

There have been suggestions that it is a sure way of dealing with the menace. But Mr. Jinapor says there is more to it, which demands that further discussions are held.

“If we say state of emergency, I don’t understand what the import is. So, state of emergency [at] where? So in the mining areas you declare state of emergency, it means that people can be arrested and kept for more than 48 hours? It means that martial law would then operate in those places?

“We need to consider all that. I am not making a decision on this, I’m not taking a position on this, but I think it requires more interrogation before making a conclusion that a state of emergency be announced or be imposed in mining areas of our country,” he explained.

“Always remember that 13 or so out of the 16 regions in Ghana are mining regions. So, you are going to impose state of emergency on almost all of the regions.”

Meanwhile, the Media Coalition Against Galamsey (MCAG) is among many stakeholders demanding that government stops all small-scale and surface mining activities immediately as a means of restoring our water bodies.

Its convenor, Ken Ashigbey, says the environmental implications far outweigh the economic benefits.

The Coalition also wants the sacking of MCE, DCE and sector ministers who have failed the country in this fight.