Supreme Court Judge Justice Dennis Adjei has cautioned state actors to take critical steps to safeguard the lives of Ghanaians, which he says are under siege due to the devastating effects of illegal mining in the country.
He made this comment at the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences during the 2025 Founders’ Week celebrations, held on the theme: “Navigating Political Transitions in Ghana: Issues and Lessons.”
Delivering the Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Lecture on the final day of the celebrations, Justice Adjei noted that it has become incumbent on the state to take drastic action to protect the environment and ensure the sustainable existence of its citizens by tackling illegal mining head-on, as part of the fiduciary duties imposed by the national Constitution.
“Article 41 of the 1992 Constitution dictates that all steps must be taken to preserve and protect the sanctity of Ghana’s landmass and its mineral resources to ensure decent and fulfilling livelihoods for all. That condition precedent is a non-negotiable requirement that the state cannot run away from in any form.”
Justice Adjei added that the clandestine support illegal miners receive from local leaders and some state actors can expose the state to liabilities that infringe on the human rights of its citizens.
“The state, through its actions and inactions, must be seen to be protecting—non-negotiably—the rights of all citizens against any economic interests that threaten the nation’s existence.”
“Some of the actions of illegal miners are tacitly supported and backed by officialdom and local leaders, which shields them from the long arm of the law. But that must not be a licence to use economic gains to shortchange the greater good. The state must be minded to trigger all the coercive powers bestowed upon it to identify such nation-wreckers and their collaborators and bring them before the courts to serve as a strong deterrent to the public.”
The Chairperson for the occasion, Emerita Professor Isabella Quakyi, called for the strict and dispassionate enforcement of the laws of the land to restore order in the reckless exploitation of the country’s natural resources.
“It is now time to bite the bullet and go after these selfish individuals who threaten the survival of our state daily under the guise of working to feed themselves. This is a clarion call to all stakeholders in society to put their hands to the wheel and end this menace once and for all.”
The lecture was on the topic: “Environmental Injustice in Poor and Rural Communities: Human Rights Abuses Through Pollution and Degradation.”
The event drew a large audience, including Fellows of the Academy, members of the public, selected journalists, and students from various secondary schools in the capital.
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Story by Sika Togoh | univers.ug.edu.gh
Edited by Gabriel Tecco Mensah
