The 2024 Vice Presidential Candidate of the Convention People’s Party (CPP), Dr. Wayoe Ghanamannti, has formally petitioned the Speaker of Parliament to investigate into President John Dramani Mahama over his alleged violations of the 1992 Constitution, in connection with the government’s handling of the illegal mining menace, popularly known as galamsey.
In a letter dated October 6, 2025 addressed to the Rt. Honourable Speaker of Parliament, Dr. Ghanamannti invoked Article 69(1)(a) and Article 69(1)(b)(i) & (ii) of the 1992 Constitution, which provide grounds for the removal of a sitting President who acts in “wilful violation” of the Constitution or conducts himself in a manner that brings the high office into disrepute or threatens the security of the state.
According to the CPP stalwart, the President’s refusal to declare a state of emergency to halt galamsey activities amounts to a constitutional breach.
He argued that the devastation caused by illegal mining has reached levels that constitute an “existential threat” to the nation’s environment, public health and security, and that urgent presidential intervention is required.
“The President, in carrying out his executive functions under Articles 57 and 58, has blatantly refused to declare a state of emergency to halt galamsey immediately, when this is the most potent presidential measure at this point to protect us and preserve Ghana from devastation,” Dr. Ghanamannti wrote.
The CPP lawyer, who described himself as a senior legal practitioner qualified to sit as a Court of Appeal Justice, said his action was guided by his constitutional duty under Article 41 of the Constitution, which enjoins citizens to defend the environment and uphold the law.
Grounds for the Petition
In his accompanying statement, Dr. Ghanamannti cited multiple public appeals from civil society groups, academics and religious leaders urging the government to declare a state of emergency in affected mining areas. He referenced notable figures such as Professor Godfred Alufar Bokpin, Madam Awula Serwah of Eco-System Conscious Citizens and the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG), all of whom have expressed alarm over the worsening pollution of rivers, such as the Pra, Ankobra, Offin and Birim.
He noted that more than 60 percent of Ghana’s water bodies have been contaminated by heavy metals, citing rising kidney disease cases as a public health warning.
Despite these warnings, Dr. Ghanamannti stated, President Mahama recently told the media that declaring a state of emergency would be a “last resort” since about four million people depend on small-scale and illegal mining for their livelihoods.
The CPP figure described that position as “a downplaying of a national environmental catastrophe”, adding that the President’s refusal to act swiftly violates his constitutional oath to safeguard Ghana’s natural resources and people.
Constitutional Implications
Dr. Ghanamannti’s petition further details the impeachment process outlined under Article 69(2) to 69(13), emphasising that if a prima facie case is established by a tribunal of the Chief Justice and four senior Supreme Court Justices, Parliament could subsequently vote to remove the President by a two-thirds majority.
He warned that persistent executive inaction in the face of a clear environmental disaster risks transforming Ghana into “a failed state,” echoing the words of political scientist, Professor Ransford Gyampo, who has similarly urged tougher action on galamsey.
“The President cannot be assured of everything when interests play in politics… Some of the same voices distracting him today will surely move on with the next leader,” Dr. Ghanamannti added.
The CPP vice-presidential candidate concluded his petition by urging President Mahama to heed the public outcry and immediately declare a state of emergency in galamsey-affected areas to restore Ghana’s rivers, forests, and national dignity.
“If the President acts now, this constitutional process will become moot. But if he refuses, posterity will judge him,” he wrote.
For more news, join The Chronicle Newspaper channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VbBSs55E50UqNPvSOm2z
