"Mr.
President, you have barely three months until the end of your administration and we are hopeful that you will deal with the situation before you leave office." The President of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), Albert Kwabena Dwumfour did not mince words in urging President Akufo-Addo to declare a state of emergency in order to deal with illegal mining.
The government has come under severe criticism over its inability to deal with the illegal mining menace (galamsey), which has devastated large swaths of forest cover and has left water bodies heavily polluted.
The extent of devastation caused by galamsey Labour unions, civil society organizations, environmental activists, professional bodies, the Minority Caucus in Parliament, and the media have all called for more bold and radical measures to end the illegal mining menace.