Edward Tutor, Executive Convenor of the Dynamic Youth Movement of Ghana, has criticised President John Dramani Mahama’s refusal to declare a state of emergency over illegal mining, accusing him of hiding behind unconstitutional advice and calling for the immediate dismissal of his advisors.
In an interview on the Channel One Newsroom on Friday October 3, Tutor challenged the President’s claim that the National Security Council must advise on emergency declarations, asserting that the 1992 Constitution makes no such requirement.
“We have a 1992 Constitution that regulates everything that we do in this country — including the president,” Tutor declared. “Article 31 is clear. It is the Council of State and Parliament that the President must consult — not the National Security Council. They are completely out of the equation.”
The rebuke follows Mahama’s recent remarks at a stakeholder engagement in Accra, where he said he would only declare a state of emergency if advised by the National Security Council. Despite mounting public pressure to take more drastic measures against illegal mining — popularly known as galamsey — Mahama argued that existing legal and security tools remain sufficient.
But Tutor is having none of it.
“If you’re saying you’re depending on the advice of your National Security Council, that is misinformation,” he said. “The President is trying to hide behind his own National Security Council, which he chairs. This is unacceptable.”
Calling the galamsey crisis a national emergency that threatens Ghana’s environment, water bodies, and future, Tutor said decisive leadership is now non-negotiable.
“Mr. President, anybody advising you not to declare a state of emergency is misleading you, ill-advising you — and you need to fire them as a matter of urgency,” he stated emphatically.
He emphasised that the constitutional path to declaring a state of emergency is well laid out: the President must take a firm decision, consult the Council of State, and then seek parliamentary approval by a two-thirds majority.
“This is not a matter of talk anymore,” Tutor added. “We have said all that needs to be said. What more do you want to hear or see?”
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