If I Were President, I Would Declare a Targeted State of Emergency on Galamsey Immediately

If I were the President of the Republic of Ghana today, I would not hesitate to declare a targeted state of emergency in areas severely affected by illegal mining (galamsey). This is not an expression of presidential ambition, but rather my deep frustration as an environmental scientist, climate advocate and concerned Ghanaian who continues to witness the systematic destruction of our natural environment while successive governments struggle to contain this ecological catastrophe.

For years, Ghanaians have watched helplessly as our rivers are polluted, forest reserves invaded, farmlands devastated and entire ecosystems destroyed in the pursuit of gold. Investigative journalism, including the courageous reporting of Erastus Asare Donkor, has repeatedly exposed the frightening scale of this destruction. Yet, despite public outrage, government interventions and considerable expenditure, the environmental devastation continues. How much more destruction must Ghana endure before we recognise that extraordinary circumstances demand extraordinary but lawful interventions?

The Elephant in the Room: A Targeted State of Emergency

I have consistently argued that a targeted state of emergency remains the most decisive constitutional intervention available to immediately contain the ongoing destruction. Former President Akufo-Addo faced persistent public demands for such action, while President Mahama has also encountered similar calls. Although the current administration has initiated interventions against illegal mining, the fundamental question remains whether these measures are sufficiently stopping environmental destruction.

Article 31 of Ghana's 1992 Constitution provides a framework for declaring a state of emergency, subject to constitutional procedures and parliamentary oversight. The Emergency Powers Act, 1994 (Act 472), further provides for emergency measures. These provisions must be applied lawfully, proportionately and with full respect for fundamental human rights.

Some opponents of an emergency declaration fear military brutality, restrictions on movement, economic disruptions and the possible withdrawal of foreign investors. Such concerns deserve serious consideration, but they should not become excuses for perpetual inaction. A properly designed, geographically targeted emergency does not amount to unrestricted military rule or a licence to brutalise citizens. Security personnel must remain accountable, arrests must follow due process, and emergency restrictions must be necessary, proportionate and subject to oversight.

Equally, I disagree with the suggestion that protecting our environment would necessarily discourage responsible foreign investment. What confidence can serious investors have in a country that cannot adequately protect its rivers, forests and natural resources?

Stop the Destruction Before Attempting Restoration

My greatest concern is that Ghana continues to pursue environmental restoration and enforcement interventions while fresh destruction is occurring in the same ecological landscapes. We cannot successfully rehabilitate polluted rivers while excavators continue operating along their banks. Neither can we restore degraded forest reserves while illegal miners continue clearing vegetation and destroying habitats.

This approach is environmentally unsustainable, economically wasteful and strategically questionable. Every additional hectare of forest destroyed and every further stretch of river polluted increases the eventual cost of rehabilitation. Ghana risks spending enormous public resources managing the consequences of a crisis without sufficiently confronting its immediate drivers.

The implications extend beyond environmental degradation. Illegal mining threatens drinking-water security, agricultural productivity, biodiversity, public health and livelihoods. It also undermines climate resilience through deforestation, habitat destruction and degradation of natural carbon sinks. At a time when climate change is already affecting vulnerable communities, Ghana cannot afford to manufacture additional environmental insecurity through preventable human activities.

Sustainable development rests on three interconnected pillars: environmental protection, social well-being and economic prosperity. An economy that grows at the expense of its ecological foundations cannot reasonably claim to be sustainable. Our commitments under the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 6 on clean water, SDG 13 on climate action and SDG 15 on life on land, must therefore translate into decisive domestic action.

Why I Would Declare a Targeted State of Emergency

My conviction rests on four compelling considerations.

First, stop the environmental bleeding immediately. A targeted emergency would provide a framework for intensified, coordinated enforcement in designated mining hotspots, with the immediate objective of halting illegal operations, protecting threatened ecosystems and preventing further destruction. Without stopping the ongoing damage, restoration efforts risk becoming an endless and expensive exercise.

Second, establish the true scale of environmental destruction. Once illegal mining activities are effectively halted in affected areas, independent environmental assessments could establish the extent of river pollution, forest degradation, biodiversity loss and contaminated agricultural lands. Such evidence would provide a credible foundation for prioritising ecological restoration and allocating resources.

Third, investigate institutional failures and reform mining governance. An emergency intervention should create an opportunity to scrutinise mining concessions, licensing procedures, regulatory enforcement and institutional accountability. Even legally licensed operators must comply with environmental requirements. The distinction between lawful and unlawful mining cannot become an excuse for tolerating destructive practices.

Fourth, restore public confidence and safeguard national security. A credible, time-bound emergency response, accompanied by transparent reporting, independent oversight and accountability for offenders, could demonstrate that environmental protection is a serious national priority. It would also help address the longer-term threats that polluted water systems, degraded farmlands and ecological insecurity pose to Ghana's development.

Ghana Cannot Continue This Way
I recognise that a state of emergency is not a magic wand. It cannot, by itself, eliminate corruption, create alternative livelihoods or restore destroyed ecosystems. However, I consider a carefully designed and constitutionally supervised targeted emergency an essential first step towards containing the crisis. It must be accompanied by sustained enforcement, institutional reforms, environmental restoration and viable economic alternatives for affected communities.

We must stop pretending that continuously treating the symptoms while the underlying destruction accelerates constitutes an effective national response. Ghana cannot keep allocating scarce resources to combat illegal mining while allowing the ecological damage to expand. The environmental and economic costs of such an approach will eventually become unbearable.

If I were President of the Republic of Ghana, knowing the gravity of the ecological destruction caused by galamsey, I would declare a targeted state of emergency immediately, within the limits of the Constitution. Not to punish innocent citizens, militarise communities, or undermine legitimate livelihoods, but to stop further destruction, establish the true extent of the damage and create the conditions for lasting solutions.

The time to act decisively is now, not when our last clean rivers have become polluted and our remaining forests have been reduced to abandoned mining pits. Ghana cannot continue to destroy the very natural resources upon which its future survival depends.