The Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) has warned that Ghana is rapidly approaching a tipping point where declaring a state of emergency may become unavoidable to address the escalating destruction caused by illegal mining, widely known as galamsey.
The warning comes in response to President John Mahama’s recent remarks at his first media engagement of his second term, where he ruled out an immediate state of emergency, arguing that current laws already give the government enough authority to tackle the crisis.
However, speaking at a press briefing on Thursday, 11 September, IEA Board Chair Dr. Charles Mensa said the scale and pace of environmental damage suggest the government may soon have no choice but to invoke emergency powers.
“We are getting very close. Given how aggressively galamsey is spreading and the irreversible damage it’s causing, we may soon reach a point where declaring a state of emergency becomes the only viable option,” Dr. Mensa stated.
He acknowledged that the final decision rests with the President but stressed the urgency of the situation.
“We don’t have access to the same security briefings as the President, so we can’t say when exactly that decision should be made. But the urgency is clear, and the warning signs are all around us.”
The IEA’s comments add to growing public pressure on the government to take stronger and more decisive action against illegal mining, which continues to ravage forests, pollute water bodies, and threaten long-term national security.
