Energy Expert and Member of the Convention People’s Party (CPP), Kwame Jantuah has called on President Mahama to deal harshly with persons involved in illegal mining also known as Galamsey.
He said the President must acknowledge that it is time for a declaration of a state of emergency in galamsey areas as part of efforts to curb the menace.
Speaking in an interview on TV3 New Day’s The Big Issue, Friday, November 7, 2025, Mr. Jantuah explained that President Mahama must take drastic measures to deal with the canker following attacks on EPA anti-galamsey taskforce and some journalists as well as the NAIMOS team in Hwidiem.
“President Mahama has to be ruthless. Look, if he decided at the time he made the statement that we don’t need a state of emergency, today, we realise that people can die. The EPA boss could have been killed. For what? For protecting the environment? No.
“We cannot sit for just a minority group of people to threaten 33 million people in so many diverse ways,” Jantuah noted.
On Thursday, November 6, 2025 a bus carrying journalists and staff of the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) collided with a truck that was carrying pipes used for illegal mining (Galamsey).
The incident occurred at Afari, following a violent encounter with illegal miners near Obuasi.
Reports indicate that the convoy of the EPA team was initially attacked by a group of illegal miners at Dadwene, a community near Obuasi.
The severity of the attack reportedly forced the EPA team and the accompanying media personnel to retreat.
Chief Executive Officer of the EPA, Professor Nana Ama Klutse said the victims suffered various forms of injury, including broken thighs, head injury and chest pains.
They have all been treated and are responding well.
