Galamsey: President Mahama Says he Declare State of Emergency if National Security Council Recommends it

Galamsey: President Mahama Says he Declare State of Emergency if National Security Council Recommends it

President John Dramani Mahama has said he would be prepared to declare a state of emergency in areas ravaged by illegal gold mining if the country’s National Security Council deems it necessary, as pressure mounts over the escalating environmental and economic costs of the practice.

Speaking at a dialogue with civil society groups in Accra on Friday, Mr Mahama said that while the constitution empowers him to take such a step, the decision would be guided by security and policy assessments.

“At present, the National Security Council believes we can win the fight against galamsey without a state of emergency. But the day they advise me otherwise, I will not hesitate in declaring it,” he said, using the local term for artisanal mining.

The remarks reflect growing calls from civil society, religious leaders and environmental groups for extraordinary measures to tackle illegal mining, which has polluted major rivers, degraded farmland and damaged forests in one of Africa’s leading gold producers. The Christian Council of Ghana and the Catholic Bishops’ Conference are among those urging government to act more decisively, warning of long-term risks to water security and rural livelihoods.

Illegal mining, often conducted with rudimentary equipment but increasingly linked to organised networks, has become a politically sensitive issue. While the sector provides employment for tens of thousands, it has strained relations with multinational mining companies and added to fiscal costs, including higher spending on water treatment and security operations.

Mr Mahama argued that government’s existing strategy — deploying additional troops, strengthening joint task forces and channelling more resources into enforcement — was beginning to show results. He pledged more transparency in reporting progress and pressed civil society groups to sustain pressure on ministries and regulators.

“Our forefathers handed us a beautiful country with forests, trees and rivers. We must hand over the same, not destruction, to our children and grandchildren,” he said, insisting he had “no personal interest” in galamsey and that the campaign would continue until “meaningful progress” was achieved.

Analysts say the outcome of the government’s approach will have broader economic implications. With gold exports accounting for more than a third of Ghana’s foreign exchange earnings, sustained environmental damage risks undermining agricultural productivity and investor confidence in the extractive sector.