Parliament was divided Tuesday over whether to shoot and kill people engaged in the pollution of water bodies through illegal mining 'galamsey' and other harmful environmental practices.
While the First Deputy Speaker, Mr Joseph Osei-Owusu, and the Majority Leader, Mr Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, felt that the shooting would deter the continuous pollution of water bodies, the Second Deputy, Mr Alban Bagbin, and the Minority Leader, Mr Haruna Iddrisu, argued that the method of shooting to kill was unconstitutional.
But the Speaker of Parliament, Professor Aaron Mike Oquaye, concluded by cautioning criminals that the security agencies had the right to use force to prevent crime.
He said the use of force, which was allowed in the Constitution, might result in the criminals losing their lives.
The contributions followed a statement made by the Member of Parliament (MP) for Kumbungu, Mr Ras Mubarak, on the military operation in his constituency to prevent people from polluting the Nawuni River, which is a source of water supply to the Tamale Metropolis and its environs.
He said the military operation in the constituency had resulted in the destruction of an excavator, tipper trucks and motorbikes belonging to people engaged in sand winning.
Recent military operations had led to burning down of equipment belonging to alleged illegal miners in some parts of the country.
'Shoot to kill'
The First Deputy Speaker, Mr Joseph Osei-Owusu said nobody had the right to mine illegally in the country.
He said the approach used in preventing illegal mining was not yielding the needed results and added that if he had his way, he would legislate for security agencies to shoot and kill people engaged in the destruction of the environment.
That, he said, would deter others from engaging in illegal mining and destroying the environment.
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu said the Constitution did not frown on the use of force to prevent the commission of crime, explaining that such exercise of force might lead to death.
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu said the illegal miners had destroyed water bodies, while illegal sand winning and harmful activities had destroyed the forest cover.
He challenged Mr Mubarak to speak to the damage that the activities of illegal sand winners had on the environment instead of speaking only of the destruction of equipment.
Wrong approach
Mr Bagbin said the use of force was a wrong approach in dealing with galamsey operators, adding that the use of force would not end galamsey operations in the country but rather the government should appeal to the conscience of the illegal miners.
"I don't believe in the use of force. It is only in war situations that you have to shoot and kill. We have appealed to their conscience. Let’s work together and find a solution," he said.
Mr Iddrisu said Ghana was not a lawless country and that "might cannot be right" and stressed that "Our loyalty is to the law of the country."
He said the days of impunity were over and that what was required was the use of legitimate means to preserve the law, because lawlessness cannot be supported.
Mr Iddrisu said the New Patriotic Party (NPP) said it believed in property owning and therefore the burning of the equipment of miners was rather a property destruction move.
"The action of the government is extra judicial, excessive and a mark of lawlessness," he said.
Mr Iddrisu said the government owed the country an explanation as to why it seized some equipment and burnt others.
He said those whose equipment had been destroyed deserved some compensation.
Minister defends action
Meanwhile, the Minister of Defence, Mr Dominic Nitiwul has defended the action of the military in burning the equipment.
He said it was not the first time that the military had burnt such equipment.
Mr Nitiwul said as a result of the continuous destruction of the water bodies through galamsey, the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) had given indication that its water sources would deteriorate further if nothing was done about the activities of illegal miners.
He said the military were in the area on four occasions and the people ran away, but on the fourth occasion, the military burnt the equipment.
He stressed the need for the people not to politicise the work of the military.
Source: Daily Graphic
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No wonder you chose p as your name. Who is insulting the president here. Every right thinking person knows that you don't shoot and kill when your life is not in danger as a security officer, so why would you expect galamsayers to be killed for mere flouting of directives. Why not shoot and kill politicians who are stealingg our scarce resources.
Kwaa..sia mp, you want to kill your country man who is digging for food because he does not have money to go to the minerals commission to get a permit. Do you kill your corrupt colleagues who steal the country's money and cause people to die each day cuz of poor health care, of the SADA people who have denied their people better lives. You have kerosene for brains if you think killing your fellow human being will solve the country's problem.
We preach against Mob action yet legislator can endorse Shoot to kill, for getting that they both has the same effect. No fair trial of culprits. Once soldiers can shoot to kill, know that innocent people can be shot in the process, just as the mob can also slaughter innocent people mistakenly. Even armed robbers are given fair trial. If the government thinks this is the way to go,let them on, and let the citezens also have their way with those they deem as criminal.No one can then convince me that mob action is thus bad.It has that same shoot to kill effect.NO FAIR TRIAL. So disappointing. Legislators my foot. Where lies their reasoning? SO SADDDDDDDD.
DO U PEOPLE REASON AT ALL?? U ARE HERE INSULTING THE PRESIDENT AND THE DEPUTY WITHOUT THINKING OF THE PROBLEM THESE ILLIGAL MINERS ARE BRINGING UPON THIS COUNTRY, ARE U FOOOOOLS???. READING THE STORY CAREFULLY U 'LL REALISE THE MINERS WERE CHASED AWAY FOUR TIMES MAKING THEM BURN THEIR EQUIPMENT TO PREVENT THEM FROM MINING. IS IT NOT BETTER TO BURN THEIR EQUIPMENT THAN TO CAUSE THE DEATH OF THOUSANDS FOR LACK OF DRINKING WATER??. THE DEPUTY SPEAKER ONLY PUT A SUGGESTION ACROSS SO AS TO PUT FEAR IN THESE ILLIGAL MINERS AND U EDIOT ARE HERE PLAYING ANGEL GABRIELS. WHEN U BUY FOOD DONT U BUY FISH? OR WE GET FISHES FROM GUTTERS? PUT ON UR THINKING CAPS AND JOIN PEOPLE WITH WISDOM TO RULE THIS NATION AND STOP BEING PETTY ALL THE TIME. THE FOOOOLING IS TOO MUCH WHY?
It befits them, when Akuffo Addo lied you guys to attain power you see what they are telling you. You did campaigns underground and even buried live creatures. Pleas Nana Kill them all they deserve to die. the world has no room for Stu.peed gullible people.
Who in his right mind would go into dangerous galamsey activity if he has a gainful employment to help his children and wife survive. This is why nana addo should be compassionate and add the human face into solving this problem. You can't treat people who helped you become president by shooting and killing them.
I am not sure the way they are going if election is held today they would get even 30%. Traders are being sacked from where they used to sell, people are being brutalized, and all sorts of nun sense are going on. I remember nana addo was eating banku on the floor with people before he was elected, today the same people are security threat to him. Had I known is always at last. Maybe they want to go back to opposition.
This shows the mentality of the entire npp leadership, from the President to the least. Even in the Philippines where drug barons are killed people are still given justice. For crying out aloud, these youth are unemployed and trying to make ends meet, they are not drug traffickers. Even npp amoateng was arrested and jailed, and today he is living. How wicked can these npp fuuuuulls be. Killing has never been part of the Ghanaian culture, so to propose this, makes you the devil himself. It's sad we voted for such insensitive and evil crop of people to be our leaders.
As for the first deputy speaker he is just an ediot. Supposed now, told Ghanaians that if they came to power they were going to ask the military to shoot and kill galamsayers, I believe that ediot would not be in parliament let alone become a deputy speaker. In country where unemployment is prevalent, you don't solve galamsay problems radically. You engage the youth, and provide them alternatives, you don't use force. They need to remember that Ghanaians don't forget things at all and Ghanaians are the best when it comes to changing government. You say sweet things for people to vote for you and when you come to power, you are now burning trucks and people expensive equipments as well as calling for people to be shot and killed. What nun sense!