The demand for an urgent crack down on illegal mining (galamsey) in the country continues to gain momentum by the day, as at least 10 more groups join the advocacy with fresh statements, threats and ultimatums.
They include Organised Labour, Ghana Catholic Bishops' Conference (GCBC), Christian Council of Ghana (CCG), Office of the Chief Imam, Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), Media Coalition Against Galamsey (MCaG) and the Executive Women's Network (EWN).
The others are Ghana Association of Small-Scale Miners (GASSM), the Ghana Independent Broadcasters Association (GIBA), the Private Newspapers and Online News Publishers Association of Ghana (PRINPAG) and Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana.
In a statement issued yesterday, Organised Labour threatened to embark on series of demonstrations and a nationwide strike if the President failed to immediately declare a state of emergency by end of this month.
In line with the provisions of the 1992 Constitution (Articles 31 and 31(4), it said the state of emergency should include an order to halt all forms of mining (legal or illegal) in forest reserves and around water bodies.
It is also demanding immediate evacuation of all mining equipment in forest reserves and around water bodies and the deployment of the Police and the Military with full orders to remove/destroy all mining equipment and other earth moving equipment around river bodies and in the forest reserves.
The statement was jointly signed and issued by the Secretary General of the Trade Union Congress (TUC) Ghana, Joshua Ansah, Chairman of Forum ; Isaac Bampoe Addo and Deputy Secretary General of the Ghana Federation of Labour , in Accra yesterday after a meeting on the matter.
It said organised labour had followed the ongoing public-spirited discussions on illegal mining and its consequential impact on the country's forest cover, water bodies and ecology, health and other implications.
"It is now clear to us as it is to all well-meaning Ghanaians that the menace of galamsey has reached a crisis proportion. The depletion of our forest cover has never been this rapid. The destruction of our water bodies is at an unprecedented scale. Our entire ecosystem is on the precipice," it said.
Similarly, at a joint news conference in Accra yesterday, the Media Coalition Against Galamsey, GJA , CCG, GCBG, EWN, GIBA , PRINGPAG, Chief Iman's Office and others called on the government to halt illegal mining and deal with ruthlessly with individuals destroying the country's forest and water bodies.
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
The GCBC President, Most Reverend Mathew Kwasi Gyamfi, said while mining remains an important part of Ghana's economy, it must be carried out responsibly and sustainably.
The General Secretary of the CCG, Reverend Fayose, urged the government to prioritise the reclamation of destroyed lands and the restoration of polluted water bodies and deal with those whose actions led to the demolition of those lands.
The President of the GJA, Mr Dwumfour, said the President should declare a state of emergency.
"All the presidential candidates of the political parties vying for elections should publicly declare their total support for this crisis response," he said.
The Convener of the MCaG, Dr Kenneth Ashigbey, said the Coalition would, from now use every legal means to ensure that the government halts illegal mining until sustainable measures are put in place.
He said the Coalition, through their investigation, would name, shame, and use the law in dealing with persons involved in illegal mining and called all stakeholders to support the Coalition in dealing with the canker.
