Accra, September 11, 2025 – The National Coordinator for the District Roads Improvement Programme (DRIP), Edwin Nii Lante Vanderpuye, has acknowledged that President John Dramani Mahama’s recent remarks on illegal mining (galamsey) fell short of public expectations.
Speaking on Channel One TV’s Breakfast Daily on Thursday, Mr. Vanderpuye said many Ghanaians were unsettled by the president’s decision not to declare a state of emergency during his Presidential Media Encounter on September 10.
When pressed by journalists on whether he would invoke emergency powers to curb the escalating environmental devastation caused by galamsey, President Mahama maintained that such a move would only be considered as a last resort.
“The only response that disappointed people was the president’s on galamsey. Many came expecting him to declare a state of emergency. But judging from media commentary and public reactions, that was the one response most people were unhappy about,” Vanderpuye observed.
A Measured Approach
Despite acknowledging the disappointment, Mr. Vanderpuye defended the president’s position as deliberate and balanced.
“He handled it intelligently. He made it clear that a state of emergency remains an option, but only after exhausting the legal avenues available to him as head of state. And we have not yet exhausted those options—there are still many to pursue,” he explained.
Galamsey Fight is a Process
The DRIP Coordinator cautioned against expecting instant solutions to the illegal mining menace, stressing that progress will take time.
“I never believed the fight against galamsey would be an event; it is a process. There are several interventions in place, such as the Blue Water Guards. These show that there is a plan, but the results people expect have not yet materialised,” he added.
Illegal mining remains one of Ghana’s most pressing environmental and socio-economic challenges, with rivers, farmlands, and forest reserves facing unprecedented destruction. Many citizens and civil society groups have called for tougher government action, including emergency measures.
Source – My News Ghana
