Deputy Ranking Member of Parliament’s Lands and Natural Resources Committee, Hon. Akwasi Konadu, has criticised President John Dramani Mahama’s refusal to declare a state of emergency in the fight against illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey.
Hon. Konadu argued that the President’s own admissions reveal that Ghana’s economy is overly reliant on gold, making it politically difficult for his government to take the drastic measures required to end the menace.
“The President’s response is very shameful and I find it that he’s never going to be able to do that,” Mr. Konadu said.
Speaking after the President’s media encounter in Accra, Hon. Konadu said Mahama’s insistence that existing laws were sufficient to address the crisis reflected a lack of political will. President Mahama had stressed that his administration would not rush into declaring a state of emergency, calling it a measure of “last resort.”
“We’ve not exhausted the powers we even have without a state of emergency,” the President explained.
In response, the Manhyia North MP argued that the President’s reluctance was tied to the government’s dependence on gold revenue. “From the trajectory he came from when asked, it meant that currently the economy is being sustained by the sale of gold by the country,” Hon. Konadu said.
He recalled that President Mahama had told the Bishops Conference that Ghanaians must be prepared to sacrifice, adding that the economy was being helped by gold sales. According to Hon. Konadu, the President’s reference to high gold prices and even drawing parallels with Peru was unnecessary and unconvincing.
“To declare a state of emergency does not necessarily mean that you’re putting soldiers on the road and making sure that they fire people as we’ve seen in Manso Tontokrom and the rest where Assembly members and individuals have been shot at. But it requires that you are putting a total halt on that (galamsey)”
Hon. Konadu maintained that Ghana required urgent, decisive measures to save its environment, not explanations anchored in the international gold market or external comparisons.
Hon. Akwasi Konadu, Deputy Ranking Member of Parliament’s Lands and Natural Resources Committee
Eco-Conscious Citizens Express Disappointment
Civil society has also voiced concern. The Coordinator of Eco-Conscious Citizens, Awula Serwaa, said she was disappointed by President Mahama’s comments. She argued that the worsening galamsey situation demands stronger action than the President suggested.
“You will recall that in the run-up to the 2024 elections, we had persons in the current administration asking for a state of emergency to be declared,” Awula Serwaa said, questioning why those voices seem to be making excuses now.
She emphasised that the situation has deteriorated, describing galamsey as an “essential threat” that is rapidly undermining Ghana’s environment and future.
“It’s very interesting that things have gone from bad to worse. The canker is not stopping; it’s an essential threat. It’s very difficult to understand how, a short while ago, we were advocating for a state of emergency, and now we think it’s not necessary”
Awula Serwaa, Coordinator of Eco-Conscious Citizens
Awula Serwaa further urged the government not to waste the limited time left to salvage the situation. She expressed that “the window of opportunity to stop this canker is closing.” For her, the longer the government waits the further emboldened the “environmental terrorists” get to cause more damage. “We need to act decisively now, not yesterday.”
Her remarks reflect a growing concern among civil society organisations that the government’s approach to galamsey lacks urgency. With rivers polluted, forests destroyed, and communities facing displacement, activists argue that only swift and bold measures can reverse the devastation.
The Stakes for Ghana
The debate comes as illegal mining continues to erode Ghana’s ecological and economic stability.
While President Mahama has cited the importance of gold revenues to the economy, his critics insist that the long-term costs of environmental destruction far outweigh any short-term financial gains.
Mr. Konadu and groups like Eco-Conscious Citizens say the government’s hesitation risks pushing the crisis beyond control. With illegal mining already contaminating water bodies, threatening cocoa production, and destroying farmlands, they argue that inaction will only deepen Ghana’s economic and social vulnerabilities.
The contrasting positions highlight the dilemma confronting Ghana’s leadership: balancing the immediate economic importance of gold against the irreversible consequences of environmental degradation.
For critics like Akwasi Konadu and Awula Serwaa, however, the message is clear – without decisive leadership, Ghana risks sacrificing its future for short-term gains.
READ ALSO: Egypt Unveils Ambitious Economic Growth Plan
