President John Dramani Mahama on Friday, October 3, 2025, mounted a strong defence of his government’s commitment to end illegal mining, firmly rejecting suggestions that he has any personal or political stake in the persistence of galamsey.
Addressing civil society organisations (CSOs) at the Jubilee House in Accra, the President assured the public of his full dedication to the fight, even as calls grow louder for the crisis to be declared a national emergency.
His comments came amid alarming reports of widespread devastation, including the destruction of over 1.2 million hectares of arable land and the repeated shutdown of Ghana Water Company Limited facilities due to extreme pollution levels.
Seeking to restore public trust and counter accusations of political protection for galamsey operators, Mahama declared: “We will continue to fight. I believe we will win the fight against galamsey. We have nothing to hide; I don’t gain anything from galamsey. I’m not personally involved in galamsey. I have no interest in galamsey continuing.”
His remarks followed a disclosure by Attorney-General Dr. Dominic Ayine, who revealed that about 600 suspects are currently facing prosecution across 65 dockets in various courts, underlining the government’s escalated legal approach.
The forum, which gathered CSOs, religious leaders, traditional authorities, and environmental experts, came in response to growing pressure from advocacy groups such as OccupyGhana and A Rocha Ghana.
On the same day, OccupyGhana released an open letter urging the declaration of a state of emergency in mining areas, arguing that galamsey threatens national survival.
Mahama acknowledged the scale of the crisis and underscored the importance of collaboration between government and citizens in order to win the battle.
“You can be sure that we’re all on the same side. And we will continue to do this together,” he assured participants.
The government is now expected to review recommendations from CSOs, with indications that tougher enforcement and land reclamation measures could soon be adopted to curb the illegal mining menace, which has already contaminated nearly 60% of the country’s water bodies.
Source: Adomonline
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