President Mahama (L), Manasseh Azure (R)
Investigative journalist Manasseh Azure has expressed disappointment and despair in the country’s quest to win the war against illegal mining, also known as galamsey, which has polluted water bodies across the country and destroyed several forest reserves.
Manasseh’s frustration stemmed from what he described as the lack of leadership’s desire to end the crisis, judging from President John Dramani Mahama‘s approach to combat illegal mining across the country.
He posited that, although President Mahama demonstrated a firm grasp of various sectors during his media encounter on September 10, 2025, he did not show sufficient commitment to combating galamsey during his first term, and his current body language suggested a similar approach.
Azure, who shared his disappointment in a Facebook post, insisted that the President’s handling of galamsey clearly demonstrated a lack of seriousness and failure to show a desire to end the menace immediately with bold solutions.
He wrote, “On galamsey, however, he has been very disappointing. The decay did not start in the last 8 years of Akufo-Addo, as the President said. I was a journalist when President Mahama was President.
In his first term, I did not see the seriousness in fighting the menace. And his body language doesn’t seem to show that it will be any different.”
According to Manasseh, land destroyed by galamsey can still produce food crops. Therefore, we should avoid creating the impression that the only alternative to illegal mining is “deviant acts,” as the President stated.
Intensify fight against galamsey – National House of Chiefs urges President Mahama
He criticised government’s decision to disband a recent task force constituted by the Inspector General of Police, Christian Tetteh Yohuno, to get rid of all illegal mining activities in the forest reserves and water bodies.
“Why disband the IGP’s task force instead of just asking them to verify permits when they visit a site? Which sites did the task force invade that turned out to be a legitimate mining concession?” he asked.
He concluded by saying, “President, so far, you have done well. Ghanaians are beginning to hope again in many sectors, but in the fight against galamsey, I feel more hopeless after listening to you tonight.”
However, he praised President Mahama for being brilliant in other sectors.
“From his first term and now, President Mahama has always demonstrated a strong grasp of all the sectors. He’s not the kind that can be easily fooled by a minister or an appointee,” he pointed out.
NAAB/SEA
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