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President Mahama Addresses Progress, Obstacles, and Strategic Solutions in Galamsey Fight
President John Dramani Mahama has stated that the country has made progress recently in the ongoing fight against illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey.
He said even though the menace was complex, the government had chalked up some successes in the quest to make galamsey a thing of the past.
President Mahama made the remarks during a courtesy call on him by the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference at the Jubilee House last weekend.
During the meeting, the Catholic Bishops made some observations and recommendations, including a call on the President to declare a state of emergency on galamsey.
In response, the President emphasised that while small-scale mining was not illegal, there was a need to deter unscrupulous individuals whose actions had harmed the environment.
“It’s a very complex fight. Unfortunately, because of the lack of economic opportunities, a lot of young people who are unskilled have been forced into illegal small-scale mining as an easy avenue to make an income,” the President said.
Highlighting the scale of the crisis, the President disclosed that over 1.5 million Ghanaians were currently involved in the sector, either through artisanal mining, employment with small-scale mining companies, or directly engaging in illegal galamsey operations.
He further revealed that out of the 288 officially declared forest reserves, 44 had been encroached upon and, alarmingly, 16 per cent of the country’s forest reserves had been destroyed or degraded.
President Mahama, consequently, announced an ambitious plan to restore the degraded forest reserves through a carbon credit-supported reclamation programme, targeting areas devastated by galamsey.
“Addressing this issue will require both reclamation and rehabilitation of the affected forests.
We intend to pursue this under the carbon credit system.
When mined lands are reclaimed and forests are restored, these efforts qualify for carbon credits, which in turn can generate funds to support further reclamation work,” he said.
The President explained that the carbon credit mechanism, a globally recognised tool for incentivising environmental conservation and emissions reduction, could provide the country with the much-needed financial resources to restore its ecosystems while creating sustainable employment opportunities in green sectors.
Water bodies
The President also said that special attention was being paid to water bodies heavily polluted by illegal mining.
“The other focus for us is the mining on the water bodies because that is what is polluting the Pra River, Birim, and others.
We’ve started with the recruitment of the Blue Water Guards,” he added.
Catholic Bishops
Leading the delegation, the President of the Conference, Most Rev. Matthew Kwasi Gyamfi, expressed concern about the devastating impact of illegal mining on both the environment and Ghanaian society.
“The ecological destruction is grave, but equally dangerous is the moral and social decay that comes with it,” he warned.
Rev. Gyamfi expressed concern that what began as a subsistence activity had now grown into a national crisis.
While acknowledging the government’s ongoing efforts, the Bishop emphasised that the current crisis demanded a new paradigm, one that balanced enforcement with credible and strategic alternatives.
To this end, the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference proposed a comprehensive 10-point action plan to combat illegal mining and restore integrity to the country’s natural resource governance.
Rev. Gyamfi called for an immediate audit and repeal of legislative instruments under the Minerals and Mining Act, 2006 (Act 703), including LIs such as LI 2173, LI 2192, and LI 2264, which he said had enabled unchecked and unregulated mining.
State of emergency
Among other proposals, he proposed an immediate freeze on new artisanal and small-scale mining licences until a comprehensive or full review of the environmental and social impact assessment had been undertaken.
To that end, the Catholic Bishops called on the government to declare a limited state of emergency in the most affected zones to suspend all mining activities temporarily.
Rev. Gyamfi advocated a limited state of emergency in mining-devastated zones or affected areas to suspend all operations, deploy military engineering units for land reclamation and restore lawful governance structures.
He also urged the government to form mining task forces at the district level that must include civil society and church representatives to monitor local operations, report breaches, and ensure transparency and community participation.
The Catholic Bishops said the government must conduct independent regular environmental public audits to assess environmental damage, social benefit delivery and the legal compliance of existing mining concessions.
Source: Graphic online
The organisers of the Ghana Comedy Awards 2026 have officially unveiled Albert Bondah as the new Media and Public Relations Manager for the highly anticipated sixth edition of the awards ceremony.
The announcement, which has already generated excitement within Ghana’s entertainment industry, forms part of the organisers’ broader efforts to strengthen the awards brand and expand its visibility ahead of this year’s event.
A graduate of the University of Cape Coast, Albert Bondah brings on board a wealth of experience in entertainment publicity, media relations, and strategic communications. His impressive portfolio includes serving as Road Manager for the Central Music Awards, as well as Media Relations Officer for organisations and brands such as African Arts Network, 2Cute Entertainment, Parrot Mouth Productions, PB Entertainment, Keche Global, and Fiifi Coleman Productions, among several other notable institutions within the creative industry.
With his extensive background in entertainment communications, Albert Bondah is expected to play a major role in promoting the awards scheme while strengthening engagement with audiences, stakeholders, media partners, and industry players. Many within the entertainment space see his appointment as a strategic move aimed at elevating the profile of the Ghana Comedy Awards both locally and internationally.
Over the years, the Ghana Comedy Awards has grown into one of the country’s leading entertainment platforms dedicated to celebrating comedians, comic actors, and creatives who continue to shape Ghana’s comedy landscape. The scheme has consistently recognised excellence, creativity, and innovation within the rapidly growing comedy industry.
President John Dramani Mahama is set to host Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa on a three-day State Visit to Ghana from Wednesday, April 1 to Friday, April 3, 2026.
According to a statement from the Presidency, President Mnangagwa will arrive at the Accra International Airport at 3:00 PM on Wednesday, where he will be received with full military honours by President Mahama. The ceremony will feature an inspection of a Guard of Honour mounted by the Ghana Armed Forces, followed by a 21-gun salute.
Later in the evening, President Mahama will host a State Banquet in honour of his Zimbabwean counterpart, in celebration of the long-standing relations between the two countries.
The highlight of the visit will be bilateral talks between the two leaders at the Peduase Lodge. The discussions, which will begin with a tête-à-tête, are expected to focus on strengthening cooperation in key sectors including trade, tourism, health, sanitation, agriculture, anti-corruption efforts, and job creation.
Both leaders are also expected to preside over the signing and exchange of several Memoranda of Understanding aimed at deepening diplomatic and economic ties between Ghana and Zimbabwe.
As part of his itinerary, President Mnangagwa will visit the Sweden Ghana Medical Centre and the Accra Compost and Recycling Plant to gain insight into Ghana’s advancements in healthcare delivery and sustainable waste management.
He will also pay homage to Ghana’s founding father, Dr Kwame Nkrumah, by laying a wreath at the Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park.
President Mnangagwa is expected to depart Ghana on Friday, April 3, with full departure honours at the Jubilee Lounge.
The visit is anticipated to further strengthen bilateral relations and expand cooperation between Accra and Harare.
Read the statement below;
President John Dramani Mahama continues to enjoy strong public support, maintaining a 67% approval rating, according to a new poll by Global InfoAnalytics.
The survey released on March 25, 2026, showed that only 26% of voters disapprove of his performance, though it was a slight increase from 24% recorded in December 2025, while approval remains unchanged.
Support for President Mahama, according to the survey, spans all regions, including traditional opposition strongholds.
In the Ashanti Region, which is the stronghold of the opposition, New Patriotic Party (NPP), the poll showed that 56% of voters approve of his performance, while approval stands at 64% in the Eastern Region and 65% in the North East Region.
The poll also indicates that a majority of party affiliates back the president’s performance, except for supporters of the NPP.
In the direction of the country, 65% of respondents in the survey noted that Ghana is headed in the right direction, though there was a marginal drop from 66% in the previous quarter.
Meanwhile, 28% believe the country is on the wrong path, up from 24%, while those with no opinion declined from 10% to 7%.
Living standards appear to have improved for many Ghanaians, with 58% of voters saying their conditions are better than a year ago, compared to 16% who report a decline.
However, optimism about the future has dipped slightly. The poll found that 68% of voters expect their standard of living to improve over the next 12 months, down from 70% in the previous quarter, suggesting growing unease over potential inflationary pressures linked to the Middle East conflict.
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