'Don’t dare joint task force' - Government warns 'galamseyers'

Defense Minister, Dominic Nitiwul has warned players in the mining sector not to dare the joint police and military anti-galamsey task force charged to enforce the country’s laws against the illegal mining.

“It will not be in your interest to do so” he added.

The joint team is expected to clamp down on the illegal activity in the Ashanti, Eastern and Western Regions.

Dominic Nitiwul in an address at the launch of the anti-galamsey operation named “operation vanguard” said the state was behind the task force hence the team must not be challenged.

“I will make it straight to the people who are daring the task force not to do that because the country is behind the task force. Don’t dare them. It will not be in your interest to dare them… They will do everything and anything to make this mission a success,” he said.

The Minister lamented that illegal mining has destroyed many water bodies in the country and lands meant for farming and must not be allowed to continue.

He added that previous efforts at addressing the problem involved troops sent on a few day’s mission but the “operation vanguard” are to stay in the affected arrears and execute the charge to the letter.

“I hope that when we tell this story, it will be a story of success…You are being tasked to go and stay and stop this. I know that the men and the women of the Ghana Armed Forces are professional, and the men and women of the Ghana Police Service are professional and you will do a professional job… We believe that this group will stop illegal mining and stop it forever.”

The deployment of the joint military and police team is another major step in the fight against the illegal activity that has become of great concern to many Ghanaians.

Many have expressed the belief that the involvement of the military in stopping illegal mining popularly known as galamsey, will achieve more results and ultimately help stop the menace across the country.

Dominic Nitiwul has in the past expressed his desire to authorize the deployment of military personnel to stop the activity.

He said at the launch of the operation that the government will provide all the necessary resources to ensure that the team succeeds in the operation.