Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel Abu Jinapor, has reiterated the government’s unwavering dedication to combating illegal mining, commonly referred to as galamsey, with a heightened focus on protecting water bodies.
He announced that the government will soon dispatch law enforcement agencies to areas experiencing a surge in illegal mining activities, with a particular emphasis on the Central Region, in a bid to curb environmental menace and ensure the preservation of Ghana’s natural resources.
Discussions about the devastating effects of illegal mining, known as galamsey, gained momentum after the Ghana Water Company Limited’s(GWCL) Central Region management announced impending water supply challenges in Cape Coast, Elmina, and nearby communities. The company attributed the current demand-supply gap to insufficient raw water supply at the Sekyere Hemang Water Treatment Plant, which is a direct result of galamsey activities in the area. This revelation has sparked concern about the severe consequences of galamsey on the environment and access to clean water.
In response to the urgent need to tackle the issue, Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel Abu Jinapor, who is also the Member of Parliament for Damongo, assured the public that a thorough and comprehensive operation would be launched within the next 24 hours to remove illegal miners from critical areas. The minister elaborated that Operation Halt, the government’s anti-illegal mining initiative, is a deliberate and strategic effort designed to effectively combat the problem. He emphasized that the operation would be targeted and precision-driven, aiming to address the root causes of illegal mining and bring perpetrators to justice.
He highlighted that Operation Halt is a strategic, targeted initiative, characterized by intermittent yet decisive enforcement actions. The operation is designed to be adaptive and responsive, with precision strikes conducted in specific areas where illegal mining activities are observed to be escalating. This calculated methodology enables the government to effectively combat the dynamic and often clandestine nature of galamsey, maximizing the impact of their efforts while minimizing disruptions to legitimate activities.
