The Secretary-General of the Ghana Federation of Labour (GFL), Abraham Koomson, has backed President John Dramani Mahama’s cautious approach to tackling illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey.
According to him, declaring a state of emergency would be a blunt instrument in addressing galamsey, a deeply rooted issue in Ghana.
Speaking on Ahotor FM’s Yepe Ahunu show on Saturday, September 13, 2025, Koomson argued that repealing Legislative Instrument (L.I.) 2462 would be a more strategic and sustainable measure.
He urged Parliament to act swiftly under a certificate of urgency to scrap the regulation, which he believes is hampering efforts to curb illegal mining.
‘State of Emergency politically sexy but not necessary now’ – Kpebu backs Mahama
“Instead of a hasty declaration of a state of emergency, which may not holistically address the galamsey menace, the repeal of L.I. 2462 by Parliament under a certificate of urgency will be more appropriate,” Koomson stated.
His comments follow President Mahama’s recent media engagement, where the President acknowledged growing public pressure for tougher action but insisted that declaring a state of emergency should only be considered as a last resort.
He maintained that Ghana’s existing legal framework already provides sufficient authority to clamp down on illegal mining operations.
Koomson stressed that consistent enforcement of current laws and regulations would go a long way in restoring order to mining communities and protecting Ghana’s natural resources.
“Once the existing laws and regulations are enforced without hesitation, the mining environment will be sanitized, and our forests and water bodies preserved,” he said.
The GFL boss added that effective law enforcement, combined with decisive legislative action to repeal L.I. 2462, would offer a more targeted and lasting solution to the galamsey crisis than emergency powers.
SA/MA
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