President John Dramani Mahama has denied claims that his administration plans to declare a state of emergency to deal with illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey.
Speaking at a town hall meeting with Ghanaians in New York on Friday, September 25, 2026, Mr Mahama said he had never announced plans to invoke emergency powers over the illegal mining crisis.
“They said I said a state of emergency. I never ever said that. I never ever said I’ll declare a state of emergency,” he said.
The President explained that while a state of emergency could be invoked in response to serious national challenges, it should only be considered as a last resort.
He questioned the practicality of declaring a nationwide state of emergency to address illegal mining, noting that the problem has affected 10 regions across Ghana.
According to Mr Mahama, emergency measures are generally more effective when applied to a specific area where government can concentrate its resources and operations to resolve the situation.
“But states of emergency are useful, but you declare them as a last resort. If you declare a state of emergency, you normally declare it in an isolated area and you deal with the issue.
“You concentrate all your energy there, deal with the issue, and you finish it, and you lift the state of emergency,” he added.
Mr Mahama said government already has the legal and institutional powers required to tackle illegal mining and is deploying targeted interventions in areas identified as galamsey hotspots.
He acknowledged the scale and complexity of the illegal mining menace but maintained that his administration remains committed to protecting the environment and addressing the impact of mining activities on affected communities.
His comments come amid renewed public debate over the measures required to curb illegal mining and protect Ghana’s water bodies, forests and other natural resources.
