President John Dramani Mahama has dismissed calls for an immediate state of emergency to combat illegal mining, emphasizing that the National Security Council is confident the battle against galamsey can be won without it.
The remarks came amid mounting pressure from the Catholic Bishops’ Conference, environmental civil society organizations, and the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), who have urged decisive action against the decades-long illegal mining crisis.
Speaking at a high-level dialogue with civil society organizations at the Presidency, Mahama stressed that while the Constitution grants him the authority to declare a state of emergency, such a decision must be guided by the advice of the National Security Council.
“Yes, I have the power to do it,” Mahama said. “But the president acts not only on his authority but also on the advice of the National Security Council…as of now, the National Security Council believes that we can win the fight against galamsey without a state of emergency,” he affirmed.
He, however, made it clear that he would not hesitate to invoke emergency powers if the security leadership deemed it necessary.
“The day they advise me otherwise — that now we need a state of emergency — I will not hesitate in declaring it,” he stated.
Despite refraining from declaring an emergency, Mahama reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to tackling illegal mining, highlighting ongoing reforms, prosecutions, and coordinated inter-agency operations aimed at dismantling illegal mining networks and rehabilitating degraded lands and water bodies.
“We still believe we have the power to win this fight,” he concluded.
Source: Starrfm.com.gh
