Taking to social media, Aboagye questioned why President John Dramani Mahama’s government has not taken decisive action despite continuous public outcry.
“The Minister has been crying into the ears of the President. For Christ’s sake, what is Mr. President waiting for? Our water bodies are dying,” he posted.
Sam George had accused the government of dragging its feet in the fight against galamsey.
According to him, the President, as Commander-In-Chief of the Armed Forces, had enough power to end the menace within a week if he truly wanted to.
Meanwhile, President Mahama has responded to the growing criticism, insisting that his government has not ruled out tougher measures but wants to exhaust existing strategies before declaring a state of emergency.
“We have not exhausted all the measures we currently have. Declaring a state of emergency must be the very last resort. For now, the security agencies have been empowered to deal firmly with those engaged in galamsey,” the President explained when addressing journalists in Accra on Wednesday, September 10, 2025.
He stressed that his administration has remained firm on protecting Ghana’s forest reserves.
“Since I became President, not a single license has been issued for mining in forest reserves. The repeal of LI 2462 is meant to strengthen what we have already been practicing,” he added.
Despite these assurances, many Ghanaians remain unconvinced, with civil society groups and environmental activists calling for tougher enforcement to safeguard the country’s rivers and farmlands.