We must all support the fight against galamsey- Prof Gyampo
The Acting Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Shippers Authority (GSA), Professor Ransford Gyampo, says while he still supports declaring a state of emergency to tackle illegal mining (galamsey), President John Mahama’s current efforts deserve national backing.
Speaking to Citi News on Tuesday, September 30, 2025, Prof. Gyampo acknowledged that while the government’s ongoing interventions may not be exhaustive, they are appropriate steps in the right direction.
“These initiatives may not be enough. Galamsey is still going on. People, including myself, are still calling for radical interventions. I still stand by my call for a state of emergency. But there is also wisdom in what the President is saying, which is giving him time to implement these interventions, and if they fail, he will resort to a state of emergency as a last option. So, I think we must all be seen to be supporting the fight against galamsey,” he said.
Prof. Gyampo also disclosed that Legislative Instrument (L.I.) 2462, which currently permits mining in forest reserves is expected to be revoked when Parliament reconvenes. He welcomed the move, describing it as a sign of President Mahama’s responsiveness to public concerns.
“I am happy that the President listens. In the lead-up to the elections in 2024, he promised that the law that encourages people to enter the forest to mine would be repealed. When they came to power, they said they could only take away the bad provisions. But we all said no, the repeal was a promise, so they should repeal it completely. After mounting pressure, today we are told that when Parliament resumes, the law will be repealed. That shows that the President listens,” he added.
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