In the wake of President John Dramani Mahama’s latest media encounter, a key government official is admitting what many Ghanaians have been saying out loud: the president’s remarks on illegal mining, or galamsey, didn’t land well.

Speaking on Channel One TV’s Breakfast Daily on Thursday, Edwin Nii Lante Vanderpuye, National Coordinator for the District Roads Improvement Programme, said the president’s decision not to declare a state of emergency has left many Ghanaians frustrated and disappointed.

“The only response that people were not too happy with was the president’s on galamsey,” Vanderpuye acknowledged. “People came there expecting that he would accept and declare a state of emergency.”

During the September 10 media session, President Mahama was asked if he would consider invoking emergency powers to combat the worsening environmental damage caused by galamsey operations. His answer? Not yet. The president said all legal avenues had not been exhausted, and a state of emergency would only be considered as a last resort.

That response, while measured, hasn’t gone over well with citizens and advocacy groups calling for urgent action.

Still, Vanderpuye defended the president’s tone, calling it “intelligent” and “thoughtful.”

“He made it clear that indeed there could be a state of emergency, but that would be after he had exhausted all the opportunities and the legal regimes available to him as head of state,” he said.

But for many, that reassurance doesn’t go far enough.

Illegal mining continues to wreak havoc across Ghana — poisoning rivers, stripping forests, and displacing communities. Activists have long called on the government to take stronger action, arguing that the damage is already at emergency levels.

And while the administration insists that “many avenues” remain unexplored, critics say the clock is ticking — and the country can’t afford to wait.

As public pressure mounts, the question is no longer if the government will act decisively — but when.

Source:TheDotNews