- Targeted anti-galamsey effort.
- Review today; resources deployed in 24 hours
- Enforcement as needed.
Samuel Abu Jinapor, the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, has reiterated the government’s commitment to intensifying efforts against illegal mining, also known as galamsey, particularly targeting water bodies.
He announced plans to deploy law enforcement agencies to areas with increasing illegal mining activities, with a special focus on the Central Region. “We will conduct a thorough review today, and I am 1,000% certain that we will ramp up our enforcement measures,” Jinapor stated. He assured that a comprehensive operation would be launched to clean up the affected areas, emphasizing a complete sweep of the Central Region.
The focus on galamsey has intensified following concerns raised by the Ghana Water Company Limited about potential water supply issues in Cape Coast, Elmina, and nearby communities due to illegal mining activities.
The company disclosed that the recent gap between water demand and supply is due to insufficient raw water at the Sekyere Hemang Water Treatment Plant (WTP), a situation exacerbated by galamsey activities.
Environmental groups, civil society organizations, and concerned citizens have expressed frustration over the lack of effective measures to combat galamsey, which has led to river contamination, farmland destruction, and the loss of livelihoods for many Ghanaians.
On Joy FM’s Super Morning Show, Samuel Abu Jinapor, the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources and MP for Damongo, assured the public that a thorough operation would be launched within the next 24 hours to remove illegal miners from critical areas.
The minister elaborated on the government’s anti-illegal mining initiative, Operation Halt, emphasizing its targeted and strategic approach. He clarified that the operation is not ongoing but rather executed in a precise manner, with enforcement actions deployed as illegal mining activities escalate in specific areas.
“We will conduct a review today, and within the next 24 hours, we will allocate the necessary resources and mobilize them to address the identified hotspots,” he stated.
