Professor Eric Abavare, President of the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), has issued a scathing rebuke of National Democratic Congress (NDC) Chairman Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, following controversial comments made about the government’s handling of illegal mining, commonly known as galamsey.
Speaking during an interview on Face to Face with Umaru Sanda on Channel One TV on Tuesday, August 26, 2025, Mr. Asiedu Nketiah popularly known as “General Mosquito” warned against declaring a state of emergency in galamsey-affected regions. He argued that such a move could potentially infringe on citizens’ constitutional rights and civil liberties.
However, Professor Abavare responded sharply in a Facebook post the following day, describing the NDC Chairman’s remarks as “reckless,” “hypocritical,” and a betrayal of the party’s previous stance on the issue. He questioned the consistency of Mr. Nketiah’s position, pointing out that the NDC had previously supported the idea of a state of emergency to combat the environmental and social devastation caused by illegal mining.
“I am shocked to the marrow about the recent reckless statement by the Chairman of the NDC, Mr. Asiedu Nketiah, aka General Mosquito,” Prof. Abavare wrote. “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?”
Professor Abavare further accused Mr. Nketiah of misleading Ghanaians and abandoning the party’s earlier calls echoed by former President John Mahama for decisive action against galamsey. He described the shift as a “419 swindle” and lamented the politicization of a national crisis that has claimed lives and destroyed livelihoods.
“Since when did calling for a state of emergency become a constitutional breach? Did the NDC Chairman change that position of his party and the former President?” he asked. “I condemn your statement in the strongest terms possible and feel very sad too by it.”
In addition to his criticism, Prof. Abavare paid tribute to the sacrifices of security personnel and public officials who have died in the line of duty while fighting illegal mining. He emphasized that their efforts should not be trivialized by political rhetoric and called for a unified, non-partisan approach to tackling the galamsey menace.
