- Military can end Galamsey in 1 week without political interference.
- Political leadership failure blamed for Galamsey persistence.
- Ghana may soon import water due to Galamsey's impact.
- Military politicization criticized for compromising effectiveness.
Dr. Nyaho Nyaho-Tamakloe, a Ghanaian statesman and former military officer, has asserted that the Ghanaian military can end the illegal mining menace in just a week if not for political interference.
The issue of illegal mining, also known as Galamsey, has been reignited following a recent JoyNews documentary titled “Poisoned Rivers,” which highlighted the severity of river pollution caused by the practice.
A recent report by The Fourth Estate has also named government officials and politically exposed persons seeking permits to mine in Ghana’s forest reserves, including protected areas.
The Ghana Water Company has announced that it is struggling to treat water for several communities due to the negative impact of Galamsey on rivers that are treated for distribution.
The GWCL and others have warned that Ghana may soon be compelled to start importing water on a large scale if nothing is done about the Galamsey menace.
Dr. Nyaho-Tamakloe blamed the Galamsey menace on the failure of political leadership under the current regime
He noted that the Ghana Armed Forces would have halted the canker if not for the high political interest in the illegal mining menace.
Dr. Nyaho-Tamakloe agreed with the Ghana Water Company Managing Director’s call for the Galamsey fight to be put directly under the Chief of Defense staff for the military to handle.
He assured that the military would finish the task within one week without political influence, but lamented that politics has changed and leadership has been compromised.
Dr. Nyaho-Tamakloe blamed the changes in the military largely on political interference, especially through protocol recruitment into the service, which has destroyed the security service in the country.
