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Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, has admitted that the John Mahama-led National Democratic Congress government can do better in the fight against illegal mining (galamsey).
Ablakwa highlighted that Ghana is on a suicidal path if the country does not win the fight against illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey.
He, however, expressed confidence in President Mahama’s commitment to tackling the galamsey menace, adding that he believes the government will succeed.
According to Ablakwa, he still stands by all the pronouncements he made in past about illegal mining.
Speaking on Channel One TV’s The Point of View on Wednesday, September 17, Ablakwa stated, “Let me be honest with you, on galamsey, I believe that we can do better. And all the propositions I made in the past, I stand by them. We’re on a suicidal path if we don’t stop this. We must take this up and win this war,” he said.
Also, Dr Ken Ashigbey, the Convener of the Coalition Against Galamsey, has confidently told President John Dramani Mahama to sack all Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) in areas where illegal mining (galamsey) is prevalent.
According to Dr Ken Ashigbey, the galamsey fight requires urgent action as it is not progressing the way it should be.
Speaking in an interview on Adom FM’s morning show Dwaso Nsem, Dr Ashigbey stated, “We believe it is not only us talking about it, but churches are also speaking about it. We all have to come on board to work on it.
But if galamsey is still ongoing in areas like Tarkwa, Obuasi, Prestea, then the DCEs and MCEs there must be sacked,” he insisted.
He added, “After sacking them, the government can investigate further to find out if they are part of the activities. If they are, then deal with them, because clearly, they are not helping matters”.
Dr. Ken Ashigbey, in a separate interview, quizzed what the national security is not telling President John Mahama about galamsey.
According to Dr. Ken Ashigbey, the Mahama himself said that galamsey has become a national emergency, but State institutions have not followed through with decisive measures.
He added that there are conditions for declaring a state of emergency in areas affected by galamsey.
Speaking on the Citi Breakfast Show on Tuesday, September 16, 2025, Dr. Ashigbey stated, “We know the president, and that he is not a person who will implement a law in its draconian nature. So, we believe that under a state of emergency, we can be specific in the way we apply it and what it is that we do”.
“Currently, if we take all our water bodies, there is no fishing going on in them. But the ‘chamfans’ are still on them. There are many places where people have blocked portions of rivers and are mining illegally. You can declare a state of emergency in those areas,” he explained.
“The president said they have reclaimed about nine. Their grading used to be red and now some have improved to amber. But people are still destroying them. You can declare a state of emergency in those as well so that no excavator moves into those communities,” he added.
Dr Ken Ashigbey cited that Article 39 of the Constitution provides clear grounds for a national emergency as the destruction of galamsey meets the criteria.
“The president has said it himself that it is a national emergency, and it is because the ingredients that constitute a national emergency in Article 39 are all clearly shown. So, I don’t know what the national security is not telling the president,” he lamented.
Meanwhile, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, the Minister of State in charge of Government Communications and MP for Abura-Asebu-Kwamankese, has revealed that the John Mahama-led government will intensify their fight against galamsey.
According to Kwakye Ofosu, the military will be stationed permanently in 44 galamsey areas.
The minister highlighted that, unlike in the past administration, where security forces would conduct short-term operations before withdrawing, the military will be stationed permanently in the galamsey areas.
Speaking on Channel One TV’s Face to Face programme on Tuesday, September 16, Kwakye Ofosu stated, “All the 44 areas that are threatened by galamsey, there is going to be a permanent military presence”.
“In the past, they would go and flush out the characters engaged in galamsey and then leave, but now they will have a permanent military presence”.
He added, “All the rivers we have will have a permanent military presence”.