The Secretary General of the Ghana Federation of Labour (GFL), Mr Abraham Koomson, has cautioned against growing calls for a state of emergency to address the menace of illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey, arguing that such an approach would not provide a sustainable solution to the problem.

Mr. Koomson warned that declaring a state of emergency could have serious economic repercussions, particularly for businesses and livelihoods in mining communities.

“The imposition of a state of emergency will not eradicate illegal mining,” he said. “Instead, it could disrupt commercial activities and trigger public backlash.”

His remarks follow President John Dramani Mahama’s recent statement that he would not hesitate to declare a state of emergency in galamsey-affected areas if advised to do so by the National Security Council.

The President made the comments during a stakeholder dialogue with civil society organisations in Accra, where he emphasised that any such decision would be guided by constitutional authority, security assessments, and the national interest.

Responding to the President’s comments on Ahotor FM’s Yepe Ahunu show on Saturday, Mr. Koomson cautioned that such a declaration might be misinterpreted as an attempt to use military force against civilians.

“The same people calling for a state of emergency will later accuse the government of using the military to intimidate citizens,” he said.

Mr. Koomson further explained that the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) has already classified all illegal mining zones as security areas, making an additional emergency declaration unnecessary.

He therefore urged the government to focus on enhancing professionalism and discipline among security personnel to ensure the effective enforcement of anti-galamsey laws.

“NAIMOS has done its part by designating the galamsey zones as security areas.

What we need now are dedicated and disciplined security officers to enforce the laws effectively,” he stressed.

Mr. Koomson reiterated that tackling illegal mining requires consistent policy enforcement, community collaboration, and economic alternatives for affected populations rather than extreme measures that could undermine public confidence.