Galamsey: Mahama will not blink if security agencies advise him to declare state of emergency – Murtala

The Minister of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, Ibrahim Murtala Mohammed has disclosed that President John Mahama is in discussions with the security agencies on whether or not to declare a state of emergency in illegal mining areas.

He said once the security agencies advise the President to declare a state of emergency, he will not hesitate to do so.

“The President is engaging the security services. When it is time to declare a state of emergency, President Mahama will not blink,” he said on TV3’s The KeyPoints on April 5.

He was contributing to discussions on the fight against illegal mining (Galamsey).

His comment was in reaction to repeated calls by many stakeholders for a state of emergency to be declared in areas where illegal mining is taking place.

The call was repeated by his co-panelists, Dr Ken Ashigbey and Prof Ransford Gyampo. They contend that a declaration of state of emergency will demonstrate some level seriousness on the part of government to curb the menace.

In response, the Environment Minister said, a declaration of state of emergency has far reaching consequences, hence the need to be cautious in resorting to it.

“Mining is done in communities. A state of emergency will affect the livelihoods of the residents,” he said.

The Minister also alleged that the erstwhile Akufo-Addo administration tacitly supported illegal mining.

According to him, they supported the importation of the largest number excavators into the country in 2023.

“During the fiscal year 2023, the 3rd largest item imported into the country was excavators. This number was not commensurate with the level of construction work in the country. It means there was state support for galamsey,” he alleged.

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