The Minority Caucus in Parliament has described President John Dramani Mahama’s recent engagement with selected Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) on illegal mining, otherwise known as galamsey, as a publicity stunt designed to cover up his government’s failure to tackle the issue.
In a statement issued on October 6, 2025, the Caucus expressed concern over the worsening state of Ghana’s water bodies, forests, soils, and food crops due to illegal mining.
They cited the joint report by Pure Earth and the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA), which confirmed the heavy contamination of rivers and farmlands.
“It is clear that the encounter with the CSOs was a publicity stunt calculated to cover up the government’s failed attempts at dealing with illegal mining. It is obvious that the galamsey menace keeps worsening by the day.
“We are, therefore, surprised that amid increasing turbidity levels and the glaring browning of our water bodies, the heavy contamination of soils and food crops, as recently confirmed by the joint report by Pure Earth and the Environmental Protection Authority, the wanton destruction of our forest resources, and the indiscriminate degradation of our lands, the President of the Republic could look into the eyes of Ghanaians and tell us he is winning the fight against illegal mining,” the statement said.
Kwaku Ampratwum-Sarpong, Ranking Member of the Lands and Natural Resources Committee, said the Mahama-led government has resorted to renaming previous policies and programmes introduced by the Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo government rather than implementing decisive measures.
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“It would be recalled that when the Akufo-Addo government came into office in 2017, the galamsey menace had reached a crescendo, and there were warnings that Ghana would have to import water if the destruction continued. To deal with this, government put a six-month moratorium on all forms of small-scale mining (legal or illegal), which was extended for a period of one and a half years. During this period, under the outstanding leadership of President Akufo-Addo’s government,” it said.
The Minority also questioned how, despite growing evidence of environmental degradation, President Mahama could “look Ghanaians in the eye” and claim he is winning the fight against illegal mining.
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The Minority warned that Ghana faces escalating health and environmental dangers, including irreparable damage to citizens’ vital organs, unsafe railway lines, and forests being turned into mining enclaves.
“Turbidity levels in our rivers are now dangerously high, vital organs of citizens are being irreparably damaged by contaminated food and water, railway lines have become unsafe, and our forest reserves are being degraded into mining enclaves. These are pressing realities that continue to endanger lives and threaten the very sustainability of our environment and our nation at large,” it noted.
The Minority Caucus urged the government to move beyond rhetoric and demonstrate real political will, emphasizing that the fight against illegal mining requires bold, consistent, and effective action.
“We further urge President Mahama and his government to move beyond rhetoric and demonstrate real political will. The fight against illegal mining can only be won through bold, consistent, and effective action. Anything less would be a grave abdication of duty to the people of Ghana and to future generations,” it added.
Read the full statement below:
JKB/MA
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