President of the Bono Regional House of Chiefs, Dormaahene Osagyefo Oseadeeyo Agyeman Badu II has mounted a strong defence against calls for President Mahama to declare a state of emergency in all mining areas.
Speaking to the media after he was sworn in as a Court of Appeal Justice together with 20 others, Dormaahene explained that the country will lose the resources benefited from responsible mining which could create revenue shortfall for government if a state of emergency is declared.
“No, it has not come to that (declaring a state of emergency). Let’s look at how much Ghana gains from mining. Once you declare state of emergency, the question is who has the right to mine? If we are not able to get that resources, there would be a gap, how is government going to (recover these resources),” he noted at the Jubilee House on Thursday, October 2, 2025.
He advocated for a responsible mining to wean the country off the devastating effect of galamsey.
“So, there is the need for us to do it (mine). As for mining, nobody will argue that there shouldn’t be mining but it has to be mined responsibly,” he stressed.
The Dormaahene appealed to Chiefs to take action against persons engaging in galamsey activities in their communities, cautioning that he will not spare anybody caught engaging in illegal mining in his community.
“I want to appeal especially as a Chief, we the Chiefs should not say we don’t have the power. If somebody is able to do it and not allow people to do it, why can’t you do it. If you come to Dormaa and engage in galamsey, I will arrest you and give you to the police so that you will be prosecuted,” he warned.
Meanwhile, President Mahama will meet civil society organisations (CSOs) for an engagement on the illegal small-scale mining (Galamsey) to find a lasting solution to the menace.
The meeting will be held on Friday, October 3, 2025, at 12:00 noon.
A letter issued by Dr Callistus Mahama, Secretary to the President, the dialogue will serve as a platform for frank and constructive discussions aimed at harnessing collective expertise and perspectives.
“This engagement aims to provide a platform for frank and constructive dialogue between the Government and civil society on the menace of illegal mining, with a view to harnessing collective expertise, perspectives, and solutions to address this national challenge,” the letter stated.
Source: Lovinghananews.com
