The Western Regional Manager of the Forestry Commission, Nana Poku Bosompem, has called for a drastic change in Ghana’s approach to the fight against illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey, arguing that the increasing sophistication and aggression of illegal miners require stronger enforcement measures.
Nana Poku said he supported the controversial “shoot-to-kill” approach as a means of dealing with illegal miners who, he claimed, had become increasingly organised and emboldened in their operations.
“I subscribe to the shoot-to-kill agenda because the miners are robust and sophisticated,” he said.
Speaking on the Kessben Maakye programme via Zoom from Accra, he said galamsey had reached alarming levels in the Western Region, posing a serious threat to forest reserves and major water bodies.
He disclosed that the region has 19 forest reserves covering about 209,333 hectares, eight of which have reportedly been affected by illegal mining, with an estimated 4,000 hectares of forest already degraded.
According to him, illegal miners have adopted a strategy of moving from one part of a forest to another whenever enforcement operations intensify, making it difficult for authorities to permanently secure cleared areas.
He therefore called for the establishment of permanent camps manned by armed security personnel within forest reserves to prevent illegal miners from returning after enforcement operations.
Nana Poku said enforcement teams must also identify and eliminate known galamsey hotspots while maintaining a permanent security presence in vulnerable forest areas.
He disclosed that a permanent enforcement camp had been established at Cape Three Point, where personnel conducted an eight-day operation against illegal mining.
According to him, the operation resulted in the destruction of 59 illegal mining structures, which were being used as accommodation by both men and women.
He said 41 persons were arrested, including four women who were apprehended around 2 a.m. deep in the forest.
The operation, he added, also led to the confiscation of 202 industrial water pumps and 125 Changfang machines.
Nana Poku commended forest guards for their courage in confronting illegal miners, saying the task had become increasingly difficult due to the level of organisation and surveillance employed by the miners.
He noted that many of the people operating at illegal mining sites were nationals of various ECOWAS countries, while acknowledging that some local communities benefited economically from activities associated with galamsey.
However, he stressed that the environmental destruction caused by illegal mining posed a much greater threat to Ghana’s forests, water bodies and other natural resources.
He consequently urged the government and security agencies to strengthen the protection of forest reserves and adopt sustained enforcement measures capable of permanently stopping illegal mining activities.
