The Secretary-General of the Ghana Federation of Labour (GFL), Abraham Koomson, has dismissed recent threats by the Ghana Medical Association (GMA) to pressure the government into taking tougher action against illegal mining, commonly known as galamsey.

Speaking on Ahotor FM’s Yepe Ahunu show on Saturday, September 20, 2025, Mr. Koomson questioned the credibility of the GMA’s position, recalling that the Association failed to support Organised Labour’s push for a similar intervention last year.

“The Ghana Medical Association cannot threaten this government with anything.

Last year, when Organised Labour mobilised to compel the Akufo-Addo government to declare a state of emergency on galamsey, it was the GMA that backed out.

Because of their withdrawal, the strike we had prepared was aborted,” he said.

In October 2024, under then-president Dr. Frank Serebour, the GMA publicly announced that while it supported the fight against illegal mining, its members would not join the nationwide strike called by Organised Labour.

A statement issued on October 8, 2024 directed members to continue providing full medical services across health facilities.

The planned strike, scheduled for October 10, 2024, was therefore cancelled.

Mr. Koomson described the GMA’s current call for radical measures under the new administration as inconsistent. “Why didn’t they support the cause when the whole labour front stood together last year? What has changed now?” he asked.

He also rejected the Association’s renewed demand for a state of emergency, arguing that it would not solve the problem. Instead, he advocated for the repeal of Legislative Instrument (LI) 2462, which regulates aspects of small-scale mining.

According to him, removing this law would provide a stronger foundation for tackling the galamsey menace than what he termed as “empty threats” from the GMA