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President John Dramani Mahama has dismissed calls for the immediate declaration of a state of emergency in the fight against illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey.
Addressing journalists at a media encounter in Accra on Wednesday, September 10, the President said existing laws already give government adequate powers to tackle the menace. He explained that declaring a state of emergency should be a last resort and not the first response to the crisis.
“I’ve been reluctant to implement a state of emergency in the galamsey fight because we’ve not exhausted the powers we already have without it. Current forest protection and mining laws provide enough authority to arrest offenders and confiscate equipment,” he stated.
President Mahama assured Ghanaians of his administration’s determination to intensify enforcement of current regulations, stressing that government remains committed to dealing with galamsey without rushing into measures that may not be necessary at this stage.
