By Francis Kobena Tandoh
Civil society groups, the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA), and A Rocha Ghana have criticized the president and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) over their ‘foot-dragging’ attitude employed in declaring a state of emergency to fight illegal mining, popularly known as ‘galamsey.’
Speaking at a media engagement, Board Chair of the IEA, Dr. Charles Mensa, stressed that the scale of destruction could soon leave the government with no alternative but to invoke emergency powers.
“In terms of declaring an emergency, I think we’re creeping towards that. With the intensity at which galamsey is taking place, we are getting to a point where a state of emergency would have to be declared.
“As to when, we don’t have as much information or security information as the President does. We will leave it to him. But the urgency is near; we all see it coming,” he said.
Similarly, Deputy Director of A Rocha Ghana, Daryl Bosu, has expressed disappointment with President John Dramani Mahama’s stance on the fight against illegal mining in the country.
At his media encounter on Wednesday, September 10, 2025, President Mahama stated that his administration was not in a hurry to declare a state of emergency, arguing that existing laws provide sufficient authority to tackle the menace.
But speaking on News Feed on Channel One TV on Thursday, September 11, 2025, Mr. Bosu described the president’s remarks as discouraging.
“We had a bit of disappointment listening to the president when he was speaking on what has been done, or what is being done, as far as galamsey is concerned. We realized that there were a number of excuses also given by the president.
“The state of emergency has been relegated to the background, as he said it is going to be a last resort,” Mr. Bosu said.
He noted that the situation on the ground had not improved since the time President Mahama, then in opposition, joined civil society in calling for a state of emergency.
“Mining is still actively going on in the Eastern and Western regions. There are police in these communities, and galamsey is ongoing. These are the circumstances we stood on to ask for a targeted state of emergency. It is unfortunate that now that the government has the power to do that, it is also giving us a lot of excuses,” he added.
President John Dramani Mahama has stated that declaring a state of emergency in the fight against illegal mining, popularly known as “galamsey,” should only be considered as a last resort.
Speaking during the Presidential Media Encounter late Wednesday, Mahama acknowledged the devastating impact of galamsey on Ghana’s environment, especially water bodies, but stated that his administration was not in a rush to declare a state of emergency, arguing that existing laws already provide sufficient authority to address the menace.
He, however, stressed that the government’s current approach is to intensify regulation, enforcement, and community participation rather than resorting immediately to emergency powers.
He explained that while the situation is serious, a state of emergency could disrupt livelihoods and daily life in affected areas and, therefore, must be used cautiously if all other interventions fail. Enditem
Source: Ghana Eye Report
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