…demands state of emergency declaration, accountability from Mahama administration
Pressure group OccupyGhana has intensified its campaign against illegal small-scale mining, warning it will send weekly reminders to President John Dramani Mahama until decisive action is taken to end the menace.
In a strongly worded open letter dated September 29, 2025, the civic group accused successive governments of “empty rhetoric” and “inexcusable inaction” in dealing with the galamsey crisis that has devastated large swathes of Ghana’s environment.
The letter, described as a “reminder,” referenced a similar appeal made exactly three years ago — on September 28, 2022 — to former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, which the group said yielded little tangible progress.
“Those promises have gone unfulfilled,” OccupyGhana wrote, adding that “the crisis has only worsened dramatically.” The group is now calling for the “immediate, impartial enforcement” of the Minerals and Mining Act, 2006 (Act 703) and for the declaration of a targeted state of emergency in mining-affected areas.
Illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey, continues to threaten Ghana’s farmlands, forests, and water bodies. A recent study by Pure Earth and the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) found mercury contamination in food products from mining zones, heightening fears of a looming public health disaster.
OccupyGhana argues that this situation demands urgent and transparent government action, including holding state institutions accountable for lapses in enforcement.
Responding to growing public concern, President Mahama has reaffirmed his commitment to the anti-galamsey fight, saying he will not hesitate to declare a state of emergency if advised by national security and other relevant agencies.
But OccupyGhana insists the time for deliberation is over. “We will continue to remind the Presidency each week until the law is enforced and the destruction ends,” the group stated, underscoring its readiness to sustain pressure until concrete results are seen.
