The debate over whether Ghana should declare a state of emergency to confront illegal small-scale mining has intensified, as the Concerned Citizens of Atewa Landscape (CCAL) strongly countered recent caution by political risk analyst Dr. Theo Acheampong.
Dr Theo Acheampong, speaking on JoyNews’ Newsfile, warned that militarised crackdowns and blanket emergency measures would only provide temporary relief without addressing the systemic failures that fuel the crisis. He pointed out that about 70 percent of small-scale mining in Ghana is unlicensed, while even some licensed operators continue to flout environmental and safety rules.
According to him, government interventions such as Operation Vanguard and Operation Halt have not provided lasting solutions, and the real path forward lies in structural reforms. These include repealing L.I. 2462, which controversially permits mining in forest reserves, strengthening monitoring systems, and building stronger institutional accountability.
CCAL, however, insists the scale of devastation has moved the country beyond gradual reforms. The group says that 80 percent of major rivers have already been destroyed, farmlands polluted, food systems contaminated, and communities pushed into crisis.
Declaring a State of Emergency, it argues, is not a political choice but the only moral and constitutional duty left to protect the survival of Ghanaians.
In a statement, CCAL stressed that every day of delay deepens the crisis with more poisoned rivers, more destroyed farms, more families without safe drinking water, and worsening food insecurity. The group maintains that a State of Emergency would give the government the authority and stability to act decisively, including banning mining in forest reserves and river bodies, revoking unlawful licenses issued under L.I. 2462, dismantling illegal operations, and resetting the mining sector on the foundation of strict environmental safeguards and sustainable alternatives for young people.
CCAL also emphasised that emergency powers should not be viewed as a replacement for reform but as the necessary first step to halt the destruction. In its view, reforms cannot take root on poisoned rivers and dead farmlands, and only a decisive emergency declaration can create the breathing space for meaningful change.
The clash of perspectives highlights the difficult balance Ghana must strike in confronting galamsey. While Dr. Acheampong stresses the importance of systemic reform and institutional accountability, communities like Atewa are demanding urgent action, arguing that the country is already bleeding and cannot afford further delay.
