The Convention People’s Party (CPP) has distanced itself from a petition calling for the removal of President John Dramani Mahama from office.

During an appearance on JoyPrime on October 18, the party’s 2024 presidential candidate, Wayoe Ghanamannti, announced that he has filed a petition to Parliament to launch an impeachment process against President John Dramani Mahama over his failed commitment to tackle small-scale mining, commonly known as galamsey, in accordance with Article 69.

On his part, the president’s current posture towards galamsey is tantamount to deception, claiming that he made promises while in opposition just to get Ghanaians to vote him into power.

“In the 2024 election, I was clear that when we come, galamsey will be off because we are stopping all licences. And at the end of the day, the NDC used the system of being angry about galamsey, capitalised on it so that, ‘let's put the fire on the NPP.’ They come into power, and it’s the same thing.

“Now we have a gold board that is going behind and buying them (galamsey gold). So both NDC and NPP cannot stop galamsey.

He added, “And that is why I've brought an action of the highest form of accountability — that we should look at Article 69 and impeach the president. When Parliament comes, the Speaker must look at it. I've already submitted this.”

In reaction to this, the party’s hierarchy, in a statement dated October 22 and signed by its chairperson and leader, Comrade Wing Commander Patrick Nelson Sogbodjor, revealed that,

“It has come to the attention of the Convention People's Party that its former Flagbearer's running mate in the 2024 Presidential Elections, stated on a television programme recently, that he has petitioned Parliament to remove His Excellency President John Dramani Mahama from office as President.

The Convention People's Party states unequivocally that its Central Committee, the highest administrative organ of the Party, has not sanctioned such a move”, parts of the statement read.

The CPP said Gjanamanti’s comments do not represent the position of the party and should be treated as a personal opinion.

The party urged the public to disregard any attempts to link it to the petition, reaffirming its commitment to upholding transparency, unity, and the values on which the CPP was founded.

“Any attempts by anyone whatsoever to associate the Party with the Petition should kindly be disregarded. Thank you,” the statement added.

Meanwhile, the devastating effect of galamsey on the country’s economy and vegetation has heightened calls on the president to declare a state of emergency. However, However, President John Dramani Mahama, at a meeting with Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), emphasised that he will only declare a State of Emergency when his government’s advisors give him the nod.

According to him, government advisors believe the country can overcome galamsey by adopting best practices in small-scale mining, including technologies that help neutralise or remove harmful chemicals from water bodies.

“While we are fighting the menace, I am also saying we should adopt technology to protect the environment. So yes, let’s fight the illegal mining, but at the same time, let’s bring in new technology that will help us protect our environment.

“Now, with the elephant in the room, State of Emergency, yes, I have the power to do it, but the President acts on the advice of the National Security Council. And as of now, this moment, the National Security Council believes that we can win the fight against galamsey without declaring a State of Emergency. I want to assure you that the day they advise me otherwise, boss, now we need a State of Emergency, I won’t hesitate,” he added.

President Mahama believes that the country can eradicate the long-term canker if it deploys more troops and invests more resources in the fight. He concluded that the battle may be a long one, but his administration is committed to winning it.

The menace continues to threaten not only Ghana's water bodies, food crops, and forest reserves but also the country’s energy infrastructure. Earlier this month, Ghana Water Limited and the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) blamed illegal mining activities for the 200% tariff increment proposal under the 2025–2030 Multi-Year Tariff Order. The Director of Communications for ECG, William Boateng, made this public on Tuesday, October 14.

“They are digging and moving towards the roads and trenches, which is very dangerous. Anytime we have the slightest rainfall, the poles come down because the base has been weakened. That affects the stability of the power supply.

“It costs us more money to fix the fallen poles and restore the line. Beyond that, we are also losing unserved energy power that we’ve already purchased but cannot deliver to customers,” Mr. Boateng noted. In September, the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) received proposals from eight utility companies calling for a significant adjustment in utility tariffs to ensure they can fully operate at capacity. Proposals from the electricity distributors and the water provider for the 2025–2029 tariff period cite rising operational costs and the need to maintain efficient service delivery.

The eight companies include the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), Volta River Authority (VRA), Northern Electricity Distribution Company (NEDCo), Ghana Water Limited (GWL), Ghana Grid Company (GRIDCo), and Ghana National Gas Limited, among others.

ECG is pushing for a massive 225% hike in its distribution service charge. For instance, a household consuming 150 kWh monthly would pay an additional GHS64, while a residence using 100 kWh per month would pay about GHS43 more in distribution charges. As part of ECG’s request, the current Distribution Service Charge (DSC) of 19 pesewas per kilowatt-hour should be raised to nearly 62 pesewas per kilowatt-hour.

“The PURC will undertake the major adjustment in the fourth quarter of 2025 to reflect capacity charges, additional liquid fuel usage, and additional capex. The current charge is below industry benchmarks, and cedi depreciation has reduced its value. US$408 million spent on network upgrades and smart meters,” parts of ECG’s petition read.

ECG has emphasised that the adjustment has long been overdue, noting that in 2022 it proposed 39.95 pesewas, but only 19.04 pesewas was approved.

According to ECG, it has invested $48 million in network upgrades and smart metering systems to enhance power reliability, reduce outages, and align tariffs with international industry standards, yet these efforts have not yielded the expected cost recovery.

Furthermore, ECG has projected an annual revenue of GHS9.5 billion between 2025 and 2029 if the new charges are approved. The proceeds, according to the utility company, would be allocated to cover operational costs, depreciation of assets, staff salaries, and the recovery of recent capital expenditures.