The Manhyia North MP and Deputy Ranking Member of Parliament’s Lands and Natural Resources Committee, Akwasi Konadu, has said President John Mahama cannot declare a State of Emergency on illegal mining because Ghana’s economy is running on galamsey.
According to Akwasi Konadu, Ghana’s economy is heavily dependent on gold revenue.
The lawmaker highlighted that the Mahama comments confirmed that his government lacks the political will to fight galamsey.
He argued that Mahama openly admitted that Ghana’s economy is being sustained by gold exports, making it politically impossible for the president to stop illegal mining.
Speaking on Citi FM on Thursday, September 11, 2025, Akwasi Konadu stated, “To declare a state of emergency does not necessarily mean that you’re putting soldiers on the road and making sure that they fire people as we’ve seen in Manso Tontokrom and the rest, where Assembly members and individuals have been shot at.
But it requires that you are putting a total halt on that. The President’s response is very shameful, and I find it that he’s never going to be able to do that,” he explained.
He added, “Because when he was asked, from the trajectory from where he came from, it meant that currently the economy is being sustained by gold and the sale of gold by the country. Because when he met the Bishops’ Conference, he told them that we must also be prepared to sacrifice.
When we do that, the economy is going to help. Yesterday, he reiterated that point and made the point that the high levels at which we are seeing small-scale illegal activities are as a result of the high gold prices, and he cited the example of Peru, which I thought was very unnecessary on his part,” Mr Konadu said.
His comments come on the back of President Mahama’s remarks during his media encounter, stating that implementing a state of emergency might sound nice, but it should be the last resort.
According to John Mahama, his administration is not in a rush to declare a state of emergency in the fight against illegal mining.
He noted growing public pressure to take drastic measures on galamsey but warned against resorting to a state of emergency prematurely.
Speaking at his media encounter in Accra on Wednesday, September 10, John Mahama explained, “I’ve been reluctant to implement a state of emergency in the galamsey fight because we’ve not exhausted the powers we even have without a state of emergency”.
“We have the opportunity to arrest anybody, to confiscate any such thing. The laws for forest protection and all that give us enough powers to be able to act”, he added.
John Mahama highlighted that a state of emergency should be considered only as a last resort.
“Implementing a state of emergency might sound nice, but it should be the last resort. So for now, let’s exercise all the powers we have — and if it becomes necessary for a state of emergency, then we look at it,” he added.
Additionally, the President, during the engagement with the media, was asked whether the GoldBod could differentiate between the gold from galamseyer and that from licensed miners.
John Mahama explained, “ I didn’t expect that in 8 months we would declare victory in the fight against illegal mining (galamsey), as the livelihoods of about 4 million Ghanaians depend on small-scale mining. So, it’s going to be a process. It’s not going to be an event, but we will not give up. We are determined to get on top of the situation.
He added, “The GoldBod was introduced as part of the reforms to streamline the operations of gold buying in the country. If the gold board was not introduced, I mean, those who were profiting from the small-scale mining sector were the foreign traders (sic). In six months, we have exported over $6 billion worth of gold. About $4 billion of that money was going to go into the pockets of foreign traders”.
“So, the first thing is, you shut the stable door so that the horse doesn’t escape, which is what we’ve done. So, if it’s from illegal sources or it’s from legal sources, it is retained in the country because at least it’s our land that is being destroyed. So, let us get the benefit of it instead of foreign traders. So, that’s the first thing,” he added.
John Mahama further added that one of the mandates of the GoldBod is to track all the gold extracted in the country, which is now being worked on.
He added, “But if you go and read the GoldBod Law, it has a requirement for tracking and tracing. As I speak, the GoldBod is working with an organisation to put in a track and trace system.
So, they’re going to see those who have legitimate license requirements, so that they can assist them in responsible mining. In that way, we can buy that gold off them once we do track and tracing”.