Deputy Director of A Rocha Ghana, Daryl Bosu, has criticised President John Dramani Mahama’s comments on the fight against illegal mining or galamsey.
According to Daryl Bosu, the presidents comments on the topic were retrogressive and not reassuring.
During a media encounter on Wednesday, September 10, 2025, President Mahama addressed various national issues, including the government’s efforts to combat galamsey.
He indicated that while declaring a state of emergency had been suggested, his government viewed it only as a last resort.
“Implementing a state of emergency might sound nice, but it should be the last extreme, the last resort. So, for now lets exercise all the powers we have” President Mahama said.
Speaking on Tv3 New Day on 11th September, Daryl Bosu questioned uestioned the President’s posture, warning that it undermines ongoing anti-galamsey campaigns.
“He spoke well on other sectors of the economy but when it comes to galamsey, everything he said, he also eventually backtracked and scuffed the campaign and efforts that is being put in place,” Daryl Bosu expressed.
He argued that the Government seems to be waiting to declare a state of emergency only when the nation’s environment is destroyed.
“On the point of state of emergency, I was expecting more from the president. For him to say that its going to be a last resort, he’s practically telling us that until every drop of this country is destroyed then there is not going to be action,“ he stated.
Daryl Bosu stressed that the President’s position was uninspiring, retrogressive, and a blow to ongoing efforts to combat galamsey.
“It wasn’t reassuring at all. It was not inspiring and as far as we are concerned, it is going to make it very difficult now for everybody on the ground trying to deal with galamsey.”
Adding, “I think that it was very retrogressive in the messaging and the posture of the government and its really unfortunate that the President took a national stage to say all of these things.”
Daryl Bosu is a leading advocate for environmental protection and frequently speaks out against illegal mining.
He is Deputy Director of A Rocha Ghana, a global Christian conservation organization dedicated to protecting nature, advancing scientific research, and promoting environmental education.
