The Ghana Coalition Against Galamsey (GCAG) has criticised President John Dramani Mahama’s response to the country’s ongoing illegal mining crisis, describing his comments during Wednesday’s Presidential Media Encounter as “uninspiring” and failing to reflect the urgency of the environmental emergency facing the nation.
Speaking at the Jubilee House on September 10, President Mahama defended his administration’s decision not to declare a state of emergency in the fight against illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey.
He argued that existing laws already grant the government sufficient authority to combat the menace and that a state of emergency should be a “last resort.”
“We have the opportunity to arrest anybody, to confiscate any such thing. The laws for forest protection and all that give us enough powers to be able to act,” the President said.
However, in a release issued Thursday, September 11, the GCAG expressed deep disappointment in the President’s position, accusing him of downplaying the severity of what they called “unprecedented environmental terrorism.”
“The President’s statement did not convey the urgency required in the fight to rid this country of environmental terrorism,” the coalition stated.
“His posture downplays a crisis that has polluted over 60% of waterbodies with heavy metals, displaced thousands of farmers, and devastated forest reserves.”
The group also pushed back on the President’s assertion that police forces struggle to distinguish legal from illegal miners, describing the withdrawal of the IGP’s men as “misplaced.”
“Though not perfect, the police had brought the situation under control. We challenge the Presidency to name a single licensed small-scale mining entity operating responsibly,” the statement said.
The GCAG acknowledged the launch of the National Alternative Employment and Livelihood Programme for Small-Scale Miners (NAELP, often referred to as NAIMOS in public discourse) but questioned whether it has been adequately resourced to offer meaningful impact.
Furthermore, the coalition took issue with the President’s argument that alternatives must be provided before cracking down on illegal mining. They described it as “justifying and emboldening illegality” at a time when Ghana is grappling with threats to its cocoa exports, long-term health consequences, and rising environmental degradation.
“This is not the leadership expected for a country facing environmental suicide… We are disappointed. This government is failing us,” the statement concluded.
The GCAG also criticised the government’s dismissal of calls for a targeted state of emergency, noting that conditions have worsened since President Mahama himself previously advocated such action while in opposition.
They cited recent reports by the Ghana Water Company Limited, which revealed that turbidity levels at the Kwanyarko Water Treatment Plant had reached a staggering 32,000 NTU, forcing the plant’s closure — a move endorsed by the Central Regional Minister.
The coalition has announced a Comprehensive Media Briefing scheduled for Monday, September 15, 2025, at the International Press Center, where it will further outline its position and proposed actions.
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