President John Dramani Mahama says his administration is not yet considering the declaration of a state of emergency to combat illegal mining, commonly known as galamsey, emphasizing that existing legal frameworks already grant the government sufficient authority to address the issue.
Speaking during a media engagement in Accra on Wednesday, September 10, President Mahama acknowledged growing public calls for tougher action but maintained that current laws must first be fully enforced.
“I’ve been reluctant to implement a state of emergency in the galamsey fight because we’ve not exhausted the powers we even have without a state of emergency,” he said.
He pointed to various legal tools available to the state, including powers to arrest offenders and confiscate illegal equipment, particularly under forest and environmental protection laws.
“The laws for forest protection and all that give us enough powers to be able to act,” he added.
While not ruling out the possibility of declaring a state of emergency in the future, President Mahama stressed it should only be used as a last resort.
“Implementing a state of emergency might sound nice, but it should be the last resort. For now, let’s exercise all the powers we have—and if it becomes necessary, then we’ll look at it.”
The President reaffirmed his government’s commitment to intensifying enforcement efforts to curb illegal mining and its devastating environmental effects.
