The Media Relations Officer at the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, Paa Kwesi Schandorf, has stressed that calls for a state of emergency to combat illegal mining (galamsey) must be backed by tangible policies and enforcement to be effective.
Schandorf said while demands for a state of emergency remain “valid and appropriate,” simply declaring one without the necessary mechanisms to enforce it would be largely symbolic and ineffective.
“The calls for a state of emergency were valid then, and they still are today. However, if you declare a state of emergency without putting the relevant enforcement structures in place, the declaration may amount to nothing,” he explained.
Schandorf acknowledged that such a declaration would likely receive widespread public approval but warned that mere optics won’t solve the deeply rooted issue of illegal mining.
“If the declaration happens today, it would be applauded by the public and praised widely, but if the underlying problems on the ground—such as the complicity of some traditional leaders and other complexities—are not addressed, then the declaration will fail to produce real results,” he said.
He emphasized that the government is focused on addressing these fundamental issues rather than rushing into symbolic gestures.
Schandorf’s remarks come amid renewed calls for the government to declare a state of emergency to tackle galamsey—a promise made by the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) while out of power but yet to be fulfilled.
Responding to critics accusing the current administration of backing away from its pledge, Schandorf compared an empty declaration to an armed robber claiming he will reform while still holding onto his weapons.
The Ministry insists the government is committed to putting in place sustainable measures to eradicate illegal mining.
In pursuit of this, the government has launched several initiatives, including the recent inauguration of the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) and the ongoing activities of the Blue Waterguard task force.
Despite mounting criticism, the Lands Ministry maintains that these efforts are crucial to reversing environmental damage and restoring Ghana’s lands and water bodies.
