President John Mahama has stated that his administration will not hastily declare a state of emergency in the fight against illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey.
Speaking at a media encounter in Accra on Wednesday, September 10, Mahama noted that while public calls for tougher measures are growing, existing laws already provide sufficient authority to act.
“I’ve been reluctant to implement a state of emergency in the galamsey fight because we’ve not exhausted the powers we even have without a state of emergency,” he explained.
The President stressed that government agencies are already empowered to arrest offenders, confiscate equipment, and enforce forest protection regulations. “We have the opportunity to arrest anybody, to confiscate any such thing. The laws for forest protection and all that give us enough powers to be able to act,” Mahama said.
He further cautioned that declaring a state of emergency might appear attractive, but it must only be considered as a last option. “Implementing a state of emergency might sound nice, but it should be the last resort. So for now, let’s exercise all the powers we have, and if it becomes necessary for a state of emergency, then we look at it,” he added.
