Mahama to Meet CSOs Today Over Galamsey Crisis, Insists State of Emergency Not the Answer
Former President John Dramani Mahama is set to meet leading Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) today in Accra as part of ongoing engagements on the fight against illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey.
The meeting comes amid mounting pressure on government to declare a state of emergency over the alarming levels of destruction to Ghana’s water bodies and farmlands. Recent reports indicate that turbidity levels in major rivers have reached record highs, sparking calls from some experts, opposition voices, and community leaders for tougher measures.
However, Mr. Mahama is expected to use the meeting to outline his position on why a state of emergency is not the most effective path forward. According to sources close to his team, the former President believes that while the devastation caused by galamsey is undeniable, declaring a state of emergency could disrupt livelihoods, politicize the fight, and create new tensions between security agencies and mining communities.
Instead, Mahama is expected to present a comprehensive alternative approach that focuses on:
- Strengthening community-based policing to cut off the networks fueling illegal mining.
- Enhancing stakeholder collaboration, including chiefs, local assemblies, and small-scale miners.
- Deploying technology such as satellite monitoring and drone surveillance to track illegal activities.
- Restoring livelihoods for communities dependent on illegal mining through sustainable agriculture and alternative employment programs.
CSOs have played a key role in pushing successive governments to intensify the fight against galamsey. Many observers believe today’s engagement will be a defining moment in shaping consensus between political leadership and civil society on the way forward.
The outcome of the meeting is likely to influence both public discourse and policy proposals as Ghana grapples with the long-term environmental and economic consequences of illegal mining.