At this year’s May Day celebrations at Independence Square, Organised Labour took a bold stand, publicly confronting President John Dramani Mahama over what they described as a deteriorating galamsey (illegal mining) crisis under his watch.
In a rare display of direct criticism during a national event, representatives of Organised Labour voiced strong concerns about the environmental devastation caused by illegal mining, particularly the unchecked pollution of rivers and destruction of forest reserves just five months into Mahama’s new term.
“We in Organised Labour are surprised that, five months into your reign, the galamsey menace is getting worse,” a spokesperson stated, drawing attention to the rapid degradation of Ghana’s natural resources.
The group demanded urgent and decisive action, calling on the President to show firmer leadership in confronting illegal mining operators and reversing the damage being inflicted on the country’s environment.
A key demand from the labour unions was the immediate revocation—rather than amendment—of Legislative Instrument 2462, the legal framework regulating small-scale mining. The group emphasized that any attempt to soften the law would only embolden illegal operators.
In a pointed reminder, Organised Labour referenced a letter from Mahama’s previous administration which had suspended the instrument, signaling a once-acknowledged commitment to fighting galamsey that now appears to be backsliding.
The intervention added a sense of urgency to the May Day celebrations, shifting focus from traditional worker issues to the broader national concern of environmental stewardship and government accountability.
