The Coalition Against Galamsey, Ghana, has reiterated its call to government to immediately declare a state of emergency in areas bedeviled with illegal mining, also known as galamsey, to effectively tackle the menace.
According to the Coalition, declaring a state of emergency was long over due, considering that all parameters required to trigger such a constitutional provision had been exceeded by the illegal mining activities.
“By Article 31.9. (a) and (b), the circumstances under which a state of emergency may be declared include the current galamsey situation in which the actions being taken by the environmental criminals are calculated to deprive large communities of potable water which is an essential of life,” Dr. Kenneth Ashigbey, Convener, Coalition Against Galamsey, said at a news conference, in Accra, on Monday.
President John Dramani Mahama last week Wednesday, September 10, 2025, played down the calls for a state of emergency to be declared, insisting that government had not yet exhausted all available options to tackle the canker.
Dr Ashigbey said it was “unfortunate” the government saw no urgency from the illegal and irresponsible mining.
He said illegal mining continued to wreak havoc, threatening livelihoods, public health, and national security, requiring immediate intervention to curb the trend.
For instance, he cited the Ghana Water Limited’s recent demand for a 280 per cent tariff increment, citing pollution caused by illegal and irresponsible mining.
“This is not a request for a tariff increase; it is an admission of catastrophic failure. It is an invoice being presented to the Ghanaian people for a mess we did not create. We are being forced to pay for the crimes of others,” he said.
“We are beyond the last resort, and the President should immediately declare a state of emergency in parts of the country to save Ghanaians as
prescribed by the constitution.”
Dr. Ashigbey also called on the President to immediately dismiss and initiate investigations into all Municipal and District Chief Executives in areas where the illegal mining activity persisted.
“Additionally, we urge the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to urgently address persistent issues of corruption and complicity within the police force, which have hindered effective action against illegal mining in various jurisdictions.
“The IGP should complete the transfers of police commanders in the regions, divisions, districts and stations which are endemic with galamsey and set clear galamsey-related KPIs for the new commanders transferred into these galamsey-endemic areas,” he added.
Mr. Bismark Owusu Nortey, Executive Director, Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana, speaking at the same news conference, said the impact of the illegal mining activity had been immense on famers across the country, with many farmlands and crops destroyed.
He disclosed that in three district in the Ashanti Region alone, about 960 farmers had had their crops destroyed, with 518 acres of farmland
affected.
Mr. Nortey also explained that major sources of water bodies, which served as a source of water for irrigation had been polluted, ending all-year-round farming.
“Galamsey is a threat to our food security,” he said, urging the government to take decisive action against the menace to ensure food security.
GNA
