The President of the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Professor Eric Abavare, has strongly criticised National Democratic Congress (NDC) Chairman Johnson Asiedu Nketiah over his recent remarks on the fight against illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey.
Mr. Asiedu Nketia, speaking on Face to Face with Umaru Sanda on Channel One TV on Tuesday, August 26, 2025, argued that it would be dangerous for the government to declare a state of emergency in galamsey-affected areas, suggesting such a move could suspend constitutional rights.
Reacting in a Facebook post on Wednesday, August 27, Prof. Abavare described the NDC Chairman’s comments as “reckless” and inconsistent with his party’s earlier position.
“I am shocked to the marrow about the recent reckless statement by the Chairman of the NDC, Mr. Asiedu Nketiah, aka General Mosquito, regarding the galamsey fight. He decries calling a state of emergency as suspending the constitution in those galamsey-affected areas. My question to him is: Was he in Ghana when a state of emergency was declared in Bawku? Was the Constitution also not suspended then?” Abavare wrote.
He questioned why the NDC Chairman appeared to have changed his stance, recalling that both the NDC and former President John Dramani Mahama had previously called for a state of emergency to tackle illegal mining.
“Since when did calling for a state of emergency become a constitutional breach, and did the NDC Chairman change that position of his party’s and the President’s position against galamsey fight? What a 419 swindle of Ghanaians by the NDC Chairman,” he added.
Prof. Abavare further invoked the memory of fallen soldiers and officials who lost their lives in the fight against illegal mining, stressing that their sacrifices must not be undermined.
“I condemn your statement in the strongest terms possible and feel very sad too by it,” he concluded.
