Environment and Social Development Analyst Paa Kwesi Eduaful Abaidoo has cautioned President John Mahama against relying solely on public declarations to combat Ghana’s deepening illegal mining crisis, warning that the country needs “visible, non-partisan action” rather than political rhetoric.
His comments come in response to President Mahama’s official declaration of illegal mining (galamsey) as a national emergency during a stop on his Western North Regional tour on Tuesday, July 15.
While the president pledged swift action and condemned both illegal miners and corrupt task force operatives allegedly extorting small-scale miners, Abaidoo insists that Ghana has long surpassed the stage of mere acknowledgements.
“This should be beyond declaring it as a state of emergency,” Abaidoo said during an interview on ABC News GH. “We’ve passed the point of acknowledgements. The country needs visible, non-partisan action backed by arrests, prosecutions, and environmental restoration.”
Abaidoo’s remarks echo growing national frustration over successive governments’ failure to meaningfully address illegal mining, which has devastated Ghana’s rivers, forests, and farmlands over the years.
“It is unfortunate that the president is only now talking about urgency,” Abaidoo noted. “We’ve been talking about this for years while the situation worsened.”
His comments serve as a warning that Ghanaians are losing patience with what many view as repetitive political posturing lacking tangible enforcement.
The urgency surrounding the galamsey crisis gained new momentum following a directive by Attorney-General Dr. Dominic Ayine to the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) to investigate ruling party officials Joseph Yamin and Yakubu Abanga over their alleged involvement in illegal mining activities.
Abaidoo welcomed the directive, calling it a “step in the right direction,” but insisted that action must go beyond headlines.
“This is welcome, but what we need is follow-through,” he emphasized. “Investigations must lead to prosecutions if wrongdoing is found, no matter how politically uncomfortable.”
He further called for a comprehensive investigation that includes findings from the explosive Frimpong-Boateng report, which implicated several political actors and institutions in shielding illegal mining operations.
The environmental toll of galamsey is now undeniable. Major rivers such as the Pra, Offin, and Ankobra are heavily polluted, and forest reserves across Ghana have been ravaged. Experts warn that unless a firm and sustained crackdown is enforced—free from political interference—Ghana could face irreversible ecological damage.
“Environmental restoration must be part of the action plan. It’s not just about stopping illegal mining, but also repairing the damage already done,” Abaidoo insisted.
As the president’s emergency declaration makes headlines, pressure is mounting on government institutions to go beyond symbolic gestures. Civil society, environmental groups, and policy experts like Abaidoo are demanding a multi-sectoral strategy, backed by law enforcement, community engagement, and independent oversight.