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Professor Kwadwo Appiagyei-Atua of the School of Law, University of Ghana, has expressed concerns about the government's reluctance to declare a state of emergency in the fight against illegal mining, commonly known as galamsey.

According to him, the refusal to take this drastic step is largely because galamsey is connected to political party or campaign financing.

Speaking on JoyNews' Newsfile programme on Saturday, October 12, Prof. Appiagyei-Atua noted that the government has been under increasing pressure from various groups, including organised labour, to declare a state of emergency to curb the environmental destruction caused by galamsey.

However, the government has consistently resisted these calls, raising questions about its commitment to tackling the issue head-on.

The legal luminary emphasised that declaring a state of emergency would empower the government to enforce stricter measures to halt illegal mining activities, particularly in areas heavily impacted by environmental degradation.

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