President John Dramani Mahama has once again rejected calls for a state of emergency in galamsey-affected areas, insisting that the government has the capacity to win the fight against illegal mining without resorting to such extraordinary measures.
Speaking at the Presidency on Friday during an engagement with Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), Mahama said that while he holds the constitutional authority to declare a state of emergency, such a decision must be based on advice from the National Security Council.
At present, he explained, the Council believes the battle against galamsey can still be won with the current approach.
“As at now, the National Security Council believes that we can win the fight against galamsey without a state of emergency,” Mahama said.
“The day they advise me otherwise—that boss, now we need a state of emergency—I will not hesitate to declare one. But we still think we have the powers and resources to win this fight.”
The President noted that the government has stepped up troop deployments and increased resources in the fight against illegal mining, which has ravaged rivers, forests, and farmlands across the country. He expressed confidence that the results will soon become evident.
“I’m sure that gradually we’ll begin to see that we’re winning the fight,” he said.
Mahama also acknowledged the persistent calls and campaigns from civil society groups demanding stronger action to halt the galamsey menace. He praised their role in keeping the issue on the national agenda and urged them not to relent.
“We need your support. We need your criticism. We need your advocacy. We need your pressure,” Mahama told the CSOs. “Continue to put our feet to the fire because that will encourage us to also continue to work harder.”
He pledged to personally push the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, together with other ministries and agencies involved in the anti-galamsey effort, to intensify their actions. According to him, the fight is not only for the present but for the survival of future generations.
“I will put pressure on all ministries involved to work harder so that together we can win this fight for succeeding generations,” he said.
The President’s comments come at a time of renewed demands from anti-galamsey coalitions, which argue that the scale of environmental destruction and public health risks calls for nothing short of a state of emergency.
