The National Coalition on Mining has cautioned that relying solely on military and police force to tackle illegal mining, commonly known as galamsey, is not a sustainable solution.
Speaking on October 19, coalition member Emmanuel Ellimah emphasized that previous military-led operations such as Operation Flashout under President Kufuor, Operation Cowleg during President Mahama’s tenure, and Operations Vanguard and Halt under President Akufo-Addo have all failed to curb the menace.
“If military action could end galamsey, we wouldn’t still be discussing it,” Ellimah stated, urging the government to rethink its strategy.
He advocated for a more comprehensive approach that includes empowering local communities, enforcing environmental regulations, and properly managing small-scale mining activities to achieve lasting results.
Meanwhile, the government has launched the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS), a multi-agency task force, to intensify the fight against galamsey. The group has already made several arrests in recent operations
Author: Jasmine Adjei
Development journalist
