Dennis Miracles Aboagye, aide to former Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, has dismissed calls for President John Dramani Mahama to declare a state of emergency in the fight against illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey.
According to him, a state of emergency would not necessarily end the menace. Instead, he argued that government investment in social mindset reorientation, alongside law enforcement, would yield better results.
Speaking on Eyewitness News on Monday, September 22, 2025, Mr. Aboagye noted that despite previous interventions by the former government—such as a two-year ban on small-scale mining—the situation worsened once the ban was lifted. He maintained that the real solution lies in community education on the dangers of the practice.
“Again, I keep saying politics is what is causing the problem for us in the fight against galamsey. I have never supported the call for a state of emergency. I didn’t support it when we were in government, and I don’t support it even now because I don’t think that is the solution,” he said.
He also criticised the earlier mining ban, describing it as unsustainable.
“I never supported the ban on small-scale mining… I didn’t support it then and I won’t support it now and my reason is simple. We implemented the ban on small-scale mining for two years, it worked, we saw the water bodies clearing up. Then when we lifted it, upon all the initiatives the government put in place, we still saw galamsey come back. We can’t go and implement a ban when it has already been done before,” he explained.
Mr. Aboagye further argued that stronger community involvement, rather than drastic political measures, is the way forward.
“Neither do I think a state of emergency may necessarily stop the situation. I think that in addition to all the law enforcement that the government is doing now, which all other governments have been doing, they should simply move in and invest in social mindset reorientation.
“What I saw with my eyes and what I have seen with my eyes today in Dunkwa Offin and Twifo Praso—if we can expose the community to the dire effect and draw their attention to how this thing is destroying their lives, in addition to enforcement, they would help to be able to succeed at it,” he added.
