The Acting Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Shippers Authority (GSA), Professor Ransford Gyampo, has reiterated his call for a state of emergency to tackle illegal mining—known locally as galamsey—but says President John Mahama’s current interventions also warrant national support.
Speaking to the media, September 30, 2025, Prof. Gyampo described the government’s ongoing efforts as appropriate, if not yet sufficient.
“These initiatives may not be enough. Galamsey is still going on. People, including myself, are still calling for radical interventions. I still stand by my call for a state of emergency. But there is also wisdom in what the President is saying, which is giving him time to implement these interventions, and if they fail, he will resort to a state of emergency as a last option. So, I think we must all be seen to be supporting the fight against galamsey,” he said.
Prof. Gyampo also revealed that Legislative Instrument (L.I.) 2462, which permits mining in forest reserves, will be revoked when Parliament reconvenes. He welcomed the move, crediting it as proof of President Mahama’s responsiveness to public feedback.
“I am happy that the President listens. In the lead-up to the elections in 2024, he promised that the law that encourages people to enter the forest to mine would be repealed.
When they came to power, they said they could only take away the bad provisions. But we all said no, the repeal was a promise, so they should repeal it completely. After mounting pressure, today we are told that when Parliament resumes, the law will be repealed. That shows that the President listens,” he added.
Source: Apexnewsgh.com
