The Centre for Democratic Movement (CDM) has issued a dire warning, stating that Ghana faces a potential national collapse if the government fails to confront the growing crises of illegal mining (galamsey) and rising insecurity.
In a statement, the Movement described the twin challenges as symptoms of governance failure and a troubling neglect of constitutional duty to protect life, dignity, and the environment. The group condemned the widespread destruction caused by galamsey, accusing successive governments of making promises without taking decisive action.
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“Illegal mining continues to poison Ghana’s vital water bodies—the Pra, Ankobra, and Offin rivers—and scar fertile lands beyond repair,” the statement read, highlighting the collapsing livelihoods of farmers and fisherfolk.
The CDM argued that a state of emergency is long overdue to halt the environmental devastation. They pointed to what they called a moral inconsistency in President John Dramani Mahama, recalling his previous stance as an opposition leader who had demanded a state of emergency for galamsey.
“Now in office, he says: ‘I have been reluctant to implement a state of emergency… because we have not exhausted the powers available to us without such a declaration,'” the statement noted, describing this as “political convenience overtaking duty.”
On the issue of insecurity, the group expressed alarm over escalating conflicts in Bawku and parts of the Oti and Northern Regions, which have forced some residents to flee to neighbouring Burkina Faso and Togo. “The fact that Ghanaians now live as refugees in neighbouring countries is a damning indictment of state capacity,” the CDM stated.
The Movement called for urgent action from all arms of government and civil society. They urged Parliament to hold the Executive accountable and the Judiciary to ensure that prosecutions are free from political interference. The CDM also appealed to traditional and faith leaders to press for sustainable governance, emphasising that “the lives of Ghanaians matter.”
“If rivers die, farms collapse, and communities are displaced by violence, no amount of rhetoric or political manoeuvring can salvage the future of this country,” the statement warned, calling on Ghana’s leadership to rise above partisan interests.