There’s political will to fight galamsey – Defence Minister

Minister for Defence, Dr. Edward Omane Boamah, has reiterated the government’s resolve to intensify the fight against illegal mining—widely known as galamsey—as part of broader institutional reforms to safeguard Ghana’s environment.

Addressing the Government Accountability Series on Monday, July 21, Dr. Boamah acknowledged that although some progress has been made, illegal mining remains a persistent challenge threatening the country’s natural resources and ecosystems.

He outlined a renewed strategy that combines military involvement, policy reviews, and stakeholder engagement to enhance the national response to the menace.

“The Ghana Armed Forces has played a supporting role in the fight against illegal mining (galamsey). We are not out of the woods yet as a nation, but there is hope because there is a political will at the very top,” Dr. Boamah said.

He revealed that the government has undertaken a thorough assessment of its anti-galamsey efforts, resulting in new institutional measures aimed at improving coordination and enforcement.

“We have reviewed the fight against illegal mining and have worked with stakeholders to reform the fight. The National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat is a product of the review of such an exercise,” he added.

As part of the security sector’s contribution, the defence minister praised the Ghana Armed Forces for leading recovery operations in forest reserves that were previously inaccessible due to the threat posed by illegal miners.

“The recovery of several forest reserves early this year, which our forest guards could not venture into, was led by the Ghana Armed Forces,” he noted.

Dr. Boamah further highlighted the role of the Ghana Navy in recent efforts to combat illegal mining along water bodies. According to him, naval forces joined ground troops during Operation Halt II to clamp down on activities along the River Ankobra in the Western and Western North Regions.

“Additionally, the navy supported land forces in Operation Halt 2 to combat illegal mining along the River Ankobra in the Western and Western North Regions,” he said.

The Minister’s comments come at a time of renewed public pressure on the government to take stronger action against galamsey, especially in areas where water sources and farmlands continue to be destroyed

Meanwhile, Minister of Defence Dr. Edward Omane Boamah has issued a strong warning against fraudulent recruitment schemes, emphasizing that all enlistment into the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) under the current administration will be strictly based on merit.

While cautioning the public, the minister has also hinted at a massive recruitment drive to hit the armed forces in the coming months