President John Dramani Mahama has dismissed calls for an immediate state of emergency to tackle Ghana’s long-standing illegal mining menace, commonly known as galamsey.
Speaking at a high-level dialogue with civil society organizations at the Presidency, Mahama said the National Security Council believes the fight can be won through existing measures without invoking emergency powers.
His comments come amid mounting pressure from the Catholic Bishops Conference, environmental CSOs, and the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), all demanding tougher action to address the environmental devastation caused by galamsey.
President Mahama emphasized that while the Constitution grants him authority to declare a state of emergency, such a step would require the Council’s advice — a stance he says remains unchanged for now.
