President John Dramani Mahama has received high praise for his governance style following his latest Presidential Media Encounter, with leading policy voices describing him as humane, accountable, and unmatched in leadership since 2008.
However, they have also urged him to take bolder and more innovative steps to address the persistent menace of illegal mining, known locally as galamsey, which continues to pose severe threats to Ghana’s environment and communities.
Franklin Cudjoe, Founding President of IMANI Centre for Policy and Education, was effusive in his assessment of the President’s performance at the media briefing.
In a reflection shared after the event, he said President Mahama’s candor and depth of engagement underscored his credibility as a leader committed to the principles of truth and accountability.
“I watched the recorded version of the president’s media encounter. Humane, truthful, wise, knowledgeable, practical and verifiably accountable. President John Mahama has no peers since 2008.”
Franklin Cudjoe, Founding President of IMANI Centre for Policy and Education
Despite his admiration, the IMANI founder emphasized that Mahama’s governance legacy would only remain untarnished if he takes stronger action against illegal mining.
According to him, while the President’s achievements are commendable, the galamsey fight remains a critical area that could leave a blemish if not decisively addressed. “However, he must do more on the galamsey fight because his second legacy must have no dent at all. Great stuff,”he remarked.
Galamsey Fight Intensified
The call for intensified efforts against illegal mining was also echoed by Dr. Steve Manteaw, Policy Analyst and Campaigns Coordinator at the Integrated Social Development Centre (ISODEC).
Dr. Manteaw argued that tackling galamsey requires a holistic approach that combines enforcement with innovative solutions rather than relying solely on brute force.
“Yesterday, at the Minerals and Mining Convention, I made the point that, we will need resolute and decentralised regulatory enforcement, combined with incentives to encourage formalisation, and meaningful alternative livelihoods (not oil palm production and grass cutter rearing) to curb galamsey. Brute force alone will not deliver the results we seek”.
Dr. Steve Manteaw, Policy Analyst and Campaigns Coordinator at the Integrated Social Development Centre
He stressed that successful models already exist within Africa, pointing specifically to Tanzania as a country that has managed to balance regulation, formalisation, and livelihood support in its small-scale mining sector.
According to him, Ghana could adapt the Tanzanian model to its own context without having to look as far as Australia for solutions. “I don’t think we need to go to Australia to learn. We have working models here in Africa. The Tanzania model can be adapted to our current circumstance. There’s not much difference in the social construct of Ghana and Tanzania,” he explained.
The juxtaposition of praise for Mahama’s leadership with calls for a tougher stance on galamsey reflects the dual challenge facing the government: consolidating gains in governance while addressing environmental degradation and the socio-economic complexities of small-scale mining.
Illegal mining has long been one of Ghana’s most intractable problems, leaving behind polluted rivers, destroyed farmlands, and damaged ecosystems. Successive governments have deployed military task forces to clamp down on illegal operators, but the persistence of the activity has raised questions about the effectiveness of such force-driven strategies.
Experts like Dr. Manteaw believe that unless regulatory reforms are decentralised and tied to viable economic alternatives for affected communities, the cycle of destruction will continue.
President Mahama, who has pledged a renewed commitment to protecting Ghana’s natural resources, faces mounting pressure to demonstrate that his government can achieve breakthroughs where previous administrations have struggled.
Stakeholders argue that the issue is not only environmental but also touches on the sustainability of livelihoods, rural development, and intergenerational equity.
The debate surrounding galamsey underscores the broader expectations citizens have of Mahama’s second term in office. While his leadership has been commended for transparency, wisdom, and accountability, the illegal mining crisis is shaping up as a defining test of his administration’s ability to balance governance success with decisive action on one of Ghana’s most pressing challenges.
For many, the President’s legacy will hinge not just on the policies he enacts but on whether those policies deliver tangible results in safeguarding the environment and protecting the future of communities affected by galamsey.
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