Fight against galamsey: State of emergency last resort - President Mahama

President John Dramani Mahama has justified his reluctance to declare a state of emergency in illegal mining areas, asserting that the country's existing laws provide sufficient power to combat the scourge of the menace, and that a declaration can only be a "last resort."

“I’ve been reluctant to implement a state of emergency because we've not exhausted all the powers we have,” President Mahama said.

President Mahama was speaking at the Jubilee House last night at his maiden media encounter since assuming office as President in January.

The event, which commenced promptly as advertised at 8 p.m., brought together a formidable gathering of editors, senior journalists and news anchors from various media houses across the country, creating a convivial yet professionally charged atmosphere.

Fight a process

The President explained that the fight against illegal gold mining or galamsey was a process and not an event.

Preident John Dramani Mahama interacting with Emmanuel Opare Djan, Editor, Democrat, after the engagement. With them include Jeorge Kingston (2nd from right), PRINPAG, and A. R. Gomda (left), Daily Guide. Picture: DOUGLAS ANANE-FRIMPONG 

“I never deluded myself that the fight against illegal gold mining or galamsey was going to be an event.

There is no magic wand,” he said.

The President added that the decay had eaten so much over the last eight years that “it is going to take a lot of work to be able to overcome it”.

“I didn’t expect that in 18 months we would declare victory in the fight.

As the livelihoods of about four million Ghanaians is on small-scale mining”, therefore, it was going to be a process and not an event.

The President said his government was not going to give up but had the determination and was on top of the situation.

GoldBod

President Mahama said the Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod) was part of the reforms, and that without it those who were taking the profit from the small-scale mining sector were the foreign traders.

He said in six months the country had exported over $6 billion, with over $4 billion bound for private foreign traders.

“So the first thing is you shut the stable doors so the horse doesn’t escape, which is what we have done to keep the benefits within the country,” President Mahama explained regarding the rationale behind the Gold Board strategy.

He said the Gold Board law also had a provision for tracking and tracing and the board was working with an organisation to implement that to ensure legitimate and responsible mining.

That would enable the country to export under the London-Bullion Market Association (LBMA) certification which would give more value to gold exported from the country.

Forest areas

President Mahama insisted that although the bill to revoke the law that permitted mining in forest reserves was yet to be revoked, in practice, the government had done just what the law sought to do, as no permit had been issued for mining in forest reserves since he assumed office in January.

“No permit for mining in forest reserves has been issued since we assumed office,” President Mahama said.

The President added that efforts were underway to get polluted water bodies back to their normal purity.

A three-member delegation from the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) was in attendance, led by its President, Albert Kwabena Dwumfour, who asked the first question which bordered on attacks on journalists and remuneration of journalists in both the state and private media.

The event also saw the presence of seasoned veterans of the profession, including the Managing Editor of the Insight Newspaper, Kwasi Pratt Jnr.

Dressed in a crisp blue-black kaftan, President Mahama, exuding confidence, took to the podium to a warm reception and delivered a comprehensive speech that touched on how the government had worked to ensure an economic rebound and provided an optimistic picture of the nation’s economic trajectory under his administration.

Touching on mining in forest reserves, President Mahama insisted that although the bill to revoke the law that permitted mining in forest reserves was yet to be passed, in practice, the government had done just what the law sought to do, as no permit had been issued for the mining in forest reserve since he assumed office in January.

“No permit for mining in forest reserve has been issued since we assumed office,” President Mahama said. 

Economy

The President touted significant strides in stabilising the economy, citing a notable recovery from what he described as a "junk status" bestowed by international rating agencies.

“In a significant endorsement of Ghana’s economic recovery efforts, global credit rating agency S&P Global Ratings has upgraded the country’s foreign-currency sovereign credit rating from Selective Default (SD) to CCC+, reflecting renewed investor confidence and the positive momentum in economic management,” he said.

He further pointed to a steadily declining inflation rate and a strengthening Ghana Cedi, which he stated had "appreciating steadily against major international trading currencies," bringing relief to businesses and consumers alike.

"Today, we are seeing a stabilisation in the prices of goods and services, with inflation dropping significantly from 23.8 per cent in December, 2024 to 11.5 per cent in July, 2025, the lowest inflation rate recorded since December 2021.

“But this isn’t just about numbers. It is being felt across markets and homes: the prices of key commodities are falling, and for the first time in years, brands and businesses are actively advertising price reductions, a sign that the recovery is not only real but tangible," the President stated.

The encounter, which lasted for about an hour and a half, saw the President answer a wide range of questions on issues, including energy sector stability, infrastructure development, social intervention programmes, safety and security, especially in the Savannah Region, providing a comprehensive overview of his government's first nine months in office.

The event was not just a press conference but a symphony of clicking cameras, thoughtful nods from veteran editors, and the intense scribbling of notes, underscoring the vibrant and crucial role of the media in the nation's democratic journey.