President John Dramani Mahama has stated categorically that he is not a beneficiary of illegal mining activities nor is he interested in seeing them continue.
The President said he is also not directly involved in illegal mining activities, assuring that he remains committed in the fight against galamsey.
Speaking during a stakeholder engagement on illegal mining in Accra, on Friday, October 3, 2025, the President stated that he was optimistic that with support from Ghanaians, the fight against galamsey would be achieved.
President Mahama urged CSOs and advocates to continue to hold the government accountable and demand transparency. He concluded by stressing his personal dedication to the cause: “We will continue to fight, and I believe we will win the fight against galamsey… I don’t gain anything from galamsey. I am not personally involved in galamsey, and I have no interest in it continuing, so you can be sure that we are all on the same side.”
Responding to the pressure to declare a state of emergency, he reiterated that although he holds the constitutional power to declare a state of emergency, such action must be based on advice from the National Security Council, which, at present, believes the battle against galamsey can be won without a state of emergency.
“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 noted. “The day they advise me otherwise — that now we need a state of emergency — I will not hesitate in declaring it,” he said.
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana