The Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) has rolled out a new collaboration with small-scale miners as part of ongoing efforts to fight illegal mining, commonly known as “galamsey.”
This aims to promote responsible mining practices while intensifying the fight against galamsey, which has caused significant environmental damage across the country.
In a press statement issued by the Information Ministry on Wednesday, October 9, it emphasised the importance of involving small-scale miners in the battle against illegal mining.
According to the statement, partnering with legal miners will help identify and expose illegal operators, enabling more efficient enforcement of laws and regulations in affected areas.
The collaboration will also focus on educating miners about sustainable mining practices and the harmful effects of galamsey on water bodies, forests, and farmlands.
The belief is that working with local stakeholders will foster community trust and cooperation, crucial for the success of their anti-galamsey operations.
This joint effort comes at a time when the government has ramped up its commitment to eradicating illegal mining and protecting the country’s natural resources.
The Ghana Armed Forces and the small-scale miners’ association have expressed optimism that this partnership will result in a more coordinated and effective approach to addressing the galamsey crisis.
This will not be the first time that the military is getting involved in tackling the menace after initial operations failed to yield the needed results.
The government is racing against time to end the galamsey menace as organised labour is expected to begin a nationwide strike on Thursday, October 10 over the government’s failure to heed its three demands, including the declaration of a state of emergency on water bodies and forest reserves, a temporary ban on all forms of small-scale mining, and a withdrawal of the Legislative Instrument that permits mining in forest reserves.