“It is hard to imagine a more dangerous way of making decisions than by putting those decisions in the hands of those who pay no price for being wrong,” – Thomas Sowell, American economist.
The Vice President of IMANI Africa, Kofi Bentil, used the above quote during his submission on President John Mahama’s reluctance to declare a state of emergency as a measure to fight the illegal mining (Galamsey) menace On TV3’s The KeyPoints. And I fell in love with it instantly.
My understanding of the quote is that, if you leave the power to make very critical decisions in the hands of those who will lose nothing for doing nothing, it is dangerous.
Well, the call for a declaration of a state of emergency in the fight against illegal mining (Galamsey) has returned to the front burner of our national discourse.
Thanks to a report jointly authored by UK-backed Non- Governmental Organisation, Africa Pure Earth and the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA).
Related article: Africa Pure Earth-EPA report points to high mercury levels in Ghana’s water bodies
The report indicates that mercury contamination in some water bodies is as high as 500 times. It further shows that many food items grown in mining areas have heavy metals in them including, taro leaves or kontomire, tomatoes cassava and mango- my favourite fruit.
The research was undertaken in six regions namely; Western, Eastern Ashanti, Central, Savannah and Western North regions.
Here is a summary of the findings:
- Significant Mercury (Hg) Contamination- Alarmingly high levels in the Ashanti Region, particularly at Konongo Odumase and Zongo, indicating serious health and environmental risks.
- Concerning Lead (Pb) Levels- Elevated concentrations in the Savannah and Western Regions may pose risks to nearby communities.
- Elevated and Widespread Arsenic (As) Levels- High levels across the Ashanti Region highlight the urgent need for remediation and regulatory action.
This has caused many anti-galamsey crusaders to be shouting on top of their voices. They include Senyo Hosi, Ken Ashigbey and Awula Serwah.
This article was prompted by a question posed by Awula Serwah- “If your house is on fire, are you saying that instead of calling the Fire Service, you will pour buckets of water on it?” She asked in an agitated voice in response to a statement made by President John Mahama when he met journalists at the Jubilee House on September 10, 2025.
Here is the statement by President Mahama that angered Awula (whose name is a Ga descriptor for a lady)- “I’ve been reluctant to declare a state of emergency in the fight against galamsey because we’ve not exhausted the powers we even have, without a state of emergency.”
“We have the opportunity to arrest anybody, to confiscate any such thing. We have laws for forest protection and all, that give us enough powers to be able to act. Implementing a state of emergency may sound nice, but it must be the last resort,” he said with the humility of a dove. But…
What is a state of emergency?
“A state of emergency is a declaration by a government leader, such as a president or governor, that allows for extraordinary powers to be used to respond to a severe crisis that threatens public health, safety, or resources,” – AI.
Here is what our 1992 Constitution says should warrant the declaration of a state of emergency.
Article 31 (9) states, “The circumstances under which a state of emergency may be declared under this article include a natural disaster and any situation in which any action is taken or is immediately threatened to be taken by any person or body of persons which—
(a) is calculated or likely to deprive the community of the essentials of life; or
(b) renders necessary the taking of measures which are required for securing the public safety, the defence of Ghana and the maintenance of public order and of supplies and services essential to the life of the community.”
It appears to me that the fact that galamsey is “…likely to deprive the community of the essentials of life”- water, Kontomere, Mango, cassava, tomatoes, fish etc., is lost on President Mahama and his spokespersons.
Actually, there are reports that by 2023, Ghana spent about 11 million dollars importing water into the country because we have failed to protect our water bodies. The turbidity levels of our river bodies are said to be 300% higher than last year. Ankobra, Pra, Birim even the Densu river in Accra is not spared.
The Ghana Water Company has begun shutting some of its processing plants due to the high turbidity levels of the water that come in. Still, no state of emergency.
It is the contention of government that the measures they have put in place will address all the concerns against galamsey. “President Mahama has not ruled out the declaration of a state of emergency, he said it will be the last resort,” Spokesperson Felix Kwakye Ofosu reminded us in an interview on Joy FM. Mr Sammy Gyamfi too.
They add that government has not issued any license to allow mining in the country’s forest reserves since assumption of office and that plans are underway to repeal L.I. 2462, which allows mining in forest reserves.
However, rather than assuage, these presidential explanations have stirred the hornet’s nest. The Catholic Bishops’ Conference and ordinary members of the public are siding with Awula’s analogy that what we are faced with cannot be addressed with Blue Water Guards and adhoc invasion of galamsey sites by task forces.
“If we don’t have water, we all perish, but if we don’t have gold, we will all live, “ Awula added.
Indeed, a famous serial protester, Oliver Barker-Vormawor put it succinctly, “We are already in a state of emergency, how we go about it is what we are taking about.” He said this during an anti-galamsey demonstration held to mark the 116th birthday of Ghana’s first President, Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah. Who, I have no doubt, will be turning in his grave considering the goings on in his beloved Ghana.
As for the Vice President of policy think tank IMANI Africa, Kofi Bentil, he has prophesied that Ghana will not win the fight against galamsey. He posits that those responsible for fixing the problem are the very people benefiting from it.
“We will not solve galamsey because we are not serious about solving galamsey. There is no political will. There’s only political rhetoric,” he stated on TV3’s The KeyPoints on September 20, 2025.
It was at this point that he mentioned my newly fond quote- “It is hard to imagine a more dangerous way of making decisions than by putting those decisions in the hands of those who pay no price for being wrong,” – American economist, Thomas Sowell.
Relating it to Ghana’s leaders, Mr Bentil said, “They don’t pay any price for failing and in the case of galamsey, they actually benefit from failing. That is why nothing will change,” he declared.
Mr. Bentil agreed with the call for a state of emergency but offered what he termed a more practical approach- Declaring illegal mining areas as security zones.
“Instead of declaring a state of emergency and doing nothing, government can simply declare galamsey areas as security zones. That allows the military and police to take charge without going to Parliament. If our army is left alone, I have no doubt they can do this job,” he argued.
He proceeded to propose immediate measures that government could implement if they mean to fight galamsey:
“Ban excavator imports for non-construction uses, district chief executives, regional ministers, and chiefs should lose their positions if galamsey is found in their jurisdictions, and chiefs who allow galamsey on their lands should forfeit those lands to the state, since they hold them in trust for the people,” Bentil suggested.
Mr Bentil spoke on Saturday, September 20, on Wednesday September 24, the Lands and Natural Resources cum Ag. Environment Minister, Mr Emmanuel Armah Kofi Buah responded.
Speaking in an interview on Accra-based GTV, Mr Kofi Buah said “…And now, in the last week or so the President has made it clear that we are going a step that says that all the water bodies and forest reserves are going to be security zones…and we are preparing to deploy permanent security forces to these areas.”
On September 26, he officially announced the declaration of forest reserves and river bodies as security zones.
“You are the sharpened tip of the spear. Any recalcitrant entrant into these declared Security Zones is not merely a trespasser; they are an enemy of the state and are to be treated as such. You are to be firm, resolute, and ruthless against those who seek to profit from the destruction of our common heritage and at our expense.” Mr Buah charged personnel of the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) in Sunyani.
The KeyPoints gets results…Well!
It’s time to go
I have a poem to contribute.
The title of my poem is “Galamsey: If only President Mahama could declare a state of emergency…”
If only President Mahama could declare a state of emergency, our water bodies will not be polluted by miners who use toxic substances like mercury and cyanide, rendering the water unsafe for our consumption and poisonous for aquatic life.
If only President Mahama could declare a state of emergency, our forests will not be destroyed any further, our top soil will be intact and there will be minimal or no erosion.
If only President Mahama could declare a state of emergency, the habitats of various flora and fauna will not be lost and our local ecosystems will not be distorted.
If only President Mahama could declare a state of emergency, our soils will not be poisoned by heavy metals such as mercury, arsenic, and lead, which make it infertile for agricultural purposes.
If only President Mahama could declare a state of emergency, the recent recording of strange neurological disorders and congenital defects in children by our healthcare providers would not have happened.
If only President Mahama could declare a state of emergency, our doctors will not be complaining about a surge in undiagnosable medical conditions suspected to have been caused by exposure to mercury and other heavy metals from galamsey activities.
If only President Mahama could declare a state of emergency, air pollution from illegal mining activities will cease and chronic respiratory diseases will be a thing of the past.
If only President Mahama could declare a state of emergency, food and waterborne diseases such as typhoid will be reduced to the barest minimum because we will not be compelled to drink from contaminated water sources.
If only President Mahama could declare a state of emergency, we will be spared the looming food insecurity and the consequent higher food prices.
If only President Mahama could declare a state of emergency, just for the sake of it, we will all live happily ever after.
But he is unable, nay reluctant to. Will he ever? Only time will tell.
May God bless our homeland Ghana and make our nation great and strong.
Thank you for listening to my poem.
Namaste – that’s goodbye in Hindi.
Let God Lead! Follow Him directly, not through any human.
The writer is the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) Columnist of the Year- 2022. He is the author of two books whose contents share knowledge on how anyone desirous of writing like him can do so. Eric can be reached via email [email protected]
