Executive Director of Eco-Conscious Citizens, Awulah Serwah, has called on the government to stop delaying and immediately declare a state of emergency to tackle illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey.
Speaking on ABC in the Morning, she expressed frustration at the authorities’ failure to take decisive action despite widespread public outcry over the environmental devastation caused by galamsey.
“What needs to be done is to immediately declare a state of emergency, repeal L.I. 2462, and clear out illegal miners and their equipment,” she asserted.
Serwah criticized the government for what she described as half-hearted enforcement measures that fail to address the root causes of illegal mining.
She particularly highlighted the handling of seized excavators, arguing that instead of burning them, the government should have a system in place to remove them from forest reserves effectively.
“If you don’t want to destroy them, then have the right equipment to move them out. But allowing them to remain there is unacceptable,” she added.
Illegal mining has long posed a serious environmental threat in Ghana, poisoning water bodies and depleting the country’s rich forest reserves. In response to the crisis, President John Mahama recently directed enforcement teams to seize, rather than destroy, mining equipment.
However, many civil society groups, including Eco-Conscious Citizens, believe this is not enough.
“Water is life, and I don’t think we should wait until we are dying before we take necessary action,” Serwah warned, stressing that the government must move beyond rhetoric and implement immediate, sweeping reforms.
