Acting Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Shippers Authority (GSA), Professor Ransford Gyampo, says while President John Dramani Mahama’s current interventions against illegal mining are commendable, a state of emergency must still be considered as part of the national response.
Speaking to Citi News on Tuesday, September 30, 2025, Prof. Gyampo described the government’s ongoing efforts as “appropriate but not comprehensive.”
“These initiatives may not be enough. Galamsey is still going on. People, including myself, are still calling for radical interventions. I still stand by my call for a state of emergency. But there is also wisdom in what the President is saying, which is giving him time to implement these interventions, and if they fail, he will resort to a state of emergency as a last option,” he said.
Prof. Gyampo stressed the need for collective support. “I think we must all be seen to be supporting the fight against galamsey,” he urged.
He also praised President Mahama for being responsive to public concerns, particularly regarding laws that allow mining in forest reserves, noting “In the lead-up to the elections in 2024, he promised that the law that encourages people to enter the forest to mine would be repealed.
“When they came to power, they said they could only take away the bad provisions. But we all said no, the repeal was a promise, so they should repeal it completely. After mounting pressure, today we are told that when Parliament resumes, the law will be repealed. That shows that the President listens,” he added.
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Source: Audrey Akazum Afolley/ATLFMNEWS
