The Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, has likened the activities of illegal miners, also known as ‘galamseyers’, to terrorism.
Just like terrorists, the Minister says activities of persons involved in illegal mining also risk the lives of citizens asking the public to see them as such.
Speaking at a press briefing in Accra Thursday, April 03, 2025, he said it was wrong for the entire nation to sit aloof for a few greedy people to enrich themselves at the expense of the masses.
He emphasised the need for a collective effort to put an end to the devastating impact of illegal mining in the country.
“We can’t allow few people to make money at the expense of millions of Ghanaians and kill us, we must now begin to see them as dangerous terrorists who are killing us,” he stated.
According to him, the turbidity levels of Ghana’s water leaves much to be desired, saying citizens are now drinking poison due to the impact of galamsey.
“You cannot have a country where your water systems are so polluted that the turbidity levels are 5,000 to 12,000 when it should be 500, it means we are drinking poison,” he lamented.
The Minister, who is also the Member of Parliament for Ellembelle, stressed on the government’s commitment to addressing the illegal mining issue to protect Ghana’s environment.
He reiterated the government’s commitment to using all available resources to combat illegal mining activities that have been ravaging forests, water bodies, and farmlands across the country.
He, however, indicated that the government is not against small-scale mining and expressed its readiness to welcome persons who want to venture into the practice genuinely without causing harm to Ghana’s environment.
“If anybody wants to do genuine small-scale mining, this government is committed to guiding them, giving them licenses, and guiding them on the path of doing small-scale mining in a more responsible and sustainable manner,” he asserted.
He called for a collaborative effort to fight against the menace, saying, “this is what must be a collective fight.”
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