President John Dramani Mahama has clarified that his government is not eager to invoke a state of emergency in addressing illegal mining, commonly referred to as galamsey.
He believes that the current legal framework already offers sufficient tools to confront the issue effectively.
During a media briefing in Accra on Wednesday, September 10, the President acknowledged the mounting public demand for decisive action but urged caution, warning against prematurely adopting emergency measures.
“I’ve held back from declaring a state of emergency in the galamsey fight because we haven’t yet fully utilized the powers available under existing laws,” Mahama said.
He pointed out that the government already has the authority to make arrests and seize equipment, and that environmental protection laws provide ample legal backing for enforcement.
Mahama reiterated that a state of emergency should only be considered when all other options have been exhausted. “It may sound appealing, but it must remain a last resort. For now, we’ll use every legal tool at our disposal — and only revisit the emergency option if it proves absolutely necessary,” he concluded.
Author: Jasmine Adjei
Development journalist
