Majority Chief Whip and Member of Parliament for South Dayi, Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor, has advocated for the declaration of security zones in galamsey hotspots as a more targeted approach to combating the menace, rather than imposing a nationwide state of emergency.
Speaking on JoyNews’ Newsfile on Saturday, September 20, 2025, the lawmaker argued that while the galamsey menace has escalated to critical levels, an overall state of emergency would impose undue hardships on innocent Ghanaians.
“I will favour the declaration of security zones, because the declaration of security zones will also deal with the emergency situation of the matters,” Dafeamekpor stated.
He elaborated that security zones would effectively restrict access to affected areas without broadly disrupting daily life.
Akufo-Addo’s fight against galamsey unmatched by any president – Miracles Aboagye
“If we declare security zones, you can’t enter the area. A state of emergency affects the lives of persons who have no business dealing with the activity. Movements are restricted, economic activities are adversely impacted. So, compartmentalize the areas and declare them as no-go areas, security zones. It’s a better alternative to the blanket imposition of a state of emergency,” he added.
Dafeamekpor defended the ongoing anti-galamsey initiatives under the National Democratic Congress (NDC) administration, acknowledging that visible results may take time due to the extensive environmental damage already inflicted.
“We are not in a worse place. I disagree with you that the solutions are not working,” he noted.
“The degradation has been so bad that it will take some time for us to begin to see the effect. But I can tell you that if we have guards that are armed and are chasing armed men out of our forest cover, reclaiming the land, I am sure a year from now, the water levels will begin to change for good,” the MP added.
We’re not buying galamsey gold – GoldBod CEO
He proposed additional measures, including a temporary or outright ban on certain mining practices, such as community mining, to strengthen enforcement efforts.
Criticizing the previous New Patriotic Party (NPP) government’s record on prosecutions, Dafeamekpor highlighted the disparity between the scale of the problem and the number of convictions.
“If you compare that to the number of persons that are reported to be engaged in galamsey in excess of 3 million, then you haven’t done much. So when the persons are arrested, by all means you have to prosecute them. They didn’t do much in terms of prosecution. That is a fact,” he asserted.
GA/EB
Confusion erupts after ‘Igbo king’ is allegedly denied handshake with Otumfuo at Manhyia
I was shot at and nearly killed – Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum recounts escaping death in the line of duty
Will Ghana pass the Anti-Witchcraft Bill? Find out in the latest episode of The Lowdown on GhanaWeb TV in this conversation with Amnesty International:
