Co-Chair of the Citizens Movement Against Corruption (CMaC), Edem Senanu, has expressed concern over President John Dramani Mahama’s reluctance to declare a state of emergency on illegal mining, questioning whether those advising the president truly grasp the severity of the crisis facing Ghana.
Speaking on TV3’s KeyPoints program on November 8, Senanu called for stronger and more coordinated action against galamsey, urging the government to treat the fight as a national emergency. He said Ghana’s approach to the problem has been far too passive despite clear evidence that the situation threatens the nation’s very survival.
Senanu said there exists a frightening disconnect in how people perceive the crisis. Some are in denial that a crisis exists, while others admit there’s a problem but underestimate its magnitude. Either way, he stressed, a crisis requires radical action.
The anti-corruption advocate expressed disappointment that the president did not declare a state of emergency when acknowledging the scale of the illegal mining menace. He questioned whether the country’s security leadership fully appreciates the gravity of the situation.
Senanu recounted his personal experience from three years ago when he reported illegal mining activities in a forest reserve. Despite confirmation from both the sector minister and the Minerals Commission that the operations were illegal, no action was taken for months. He had to personally go to the police to report the matter before investigations even began.
Drawing a comparison with Nigeria, Senanu explained how the lack of accountability and failure to reinvest resource revenues into affected communities once led to youth unrest and criminal activities there. He warned that Ghana risks repeating this pattern if illegal mining persists.
The CMaC co-chair stressed that government alone cannot win the fight against galamsey and called for a broader, more inclusive approach involving key stakeholders such as civil society, communities, and the private sector. He emphasized the need for greater consultation, collaboration, and innovation, warning that without expanded cooperation, Ghana won’t achieve the results needed.
Senanu added that the current strategy may not be effective enough to address the scale of the crisis. He warned that without deeper collaboration, Ghana could face severe environmental and social consequences in the near future.
President Mahama has previously stated he will only declare a state of emergency if advised to do so by the National Security Council. He has maintained that existing laws already provide sufficient powers to combat galamsey without resorting to emergency measures. The president explained that agencies can arrest offenders, seize equipment, and enforce forest protection laws without the need for a state of emergency declaration.
However, civil society groups, religious leaders, and activists have continued to pressure the government, arguing that the devastation to water bodies and forest reserves demands extraordinary measures beyond conventional law enforcement approaches.
