UTAG Issues 3-Month Ultimatum to Mahama Government Over Galamsey, Threatens Strike
The University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) has given the Mahama-led administration a three-month ultimatum, ending October 21, 2025, to take decisive action against illegal mining (galamsey), threatening a nationwide strike if the government fails to act.
In a statement on July 20, 2025, following an emergency National Executive Council (NEC) meeting on July 17, UTAG’s National President, Prof. Mamudu A. Akudugu, expressed frustration over the government’s lack of progress in fulfilling President John Dramani Mahama’s pre-election pledge to combat galamsey, signed as part of the “National Pledge Against Illegal and Irresponsible Mining” in 2024.
Speaking on Joy FM’s Midday News on July 21, Akudugu highlighted the environmental devastation caused by galamsey, including polluted water bodies, destroyed forests, and degraded farmlands, which threaten public health, food security, and national stability.
UTAG acknowledged “modest gains” through efforts by the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources and security services, including a directive from the Attorney General to the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) to investigate political actors allegedly involved in galamsey.
However, the association criticized Mahama’s failure to declare a state of emergency in galamsey-affected areas, as promised, to operationalize his commitment. Prof. Akudugu stated, “We cannot sit aloof while rivers are destroyed, forests are cleared, and future generations are left with nothing but poisoned lands and polluted waters,” emphasizing the need for enforceable measures.
UTAG’s previous anti-galamsey strike from October 10 to October 29, 2024, was suspended after government assurances, but internal divisions, with some members opposing the action, highlight ongoing tensions.
The association warned that failure to see “tangible action” within three months will prompt a return to its members to decide further actions, potentially escalating to another strike.
