President John Dramani Mahama has warned against hastily declaring a state of emergency in the fight against illegal mining (galamsey), stressing that such a drastic measure should only be considered as a last resort.

Speaking at a media encounter in Accra on Wednesday, September 10, President Mahama acknowledged the growing public demand for stronger actions but insisted that existing laws already provide sufficient powers for the government to act decisively.
“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 emphasised that government agencies already have the authority to arrest offenders, seize mining equipment, and enforce forest protection laws.
“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,” he said.

While acknowledging the urgency of the galamsey issue, President Mahama cautioned against the premature use of a state of emergency, noting that while it may seem like an appealing solution, it should be viewed as a last resort.
“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 said.