Galamsey fight: Burn the excavators, kill them – Ex-High Commissioner to South Africa

• George Ayisi-Boateng has proposed the execution of persons engaged in galamsey

• He says he has held discussions with Lands Minister Abu Jinapor on the effective ways of fighting illegal mining

• The government's fight against illegal mining is in the fourth phase

“The galamsey fight is a battle and there’s format in a battle”, these are the words of former Ghana High Commissioner to South Africa, George Ayisi-Boateng who is advocating for the killing of persons found to have engaged in illegal small scale mining.

Ayisi-Boateng argues that the country stands a risk of losing its forest cover and water bodies if drastic measures are not taken to deal with the canker of galamsey.

He said on Accra-based Okay FM that all persons arrested at galamsey sites should be executed irrespective of their party affiliation.

He stated that the illegal miners are undoing the good works of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and must be dealt with decisively.

“I stand by my words. It’s something that needs saying and I have said it. I have no regrets. Where we are going, we must be decisive. President Akufo-Addo has good plans for the country so we must all help him fight galamsey.

"Our forefathers, why didn’t they like money? So how come it is our generation that is scrambling for money as if the world is coming to an end so we should harvest and destroy everything.”

He revealed that he has held discussions with the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources on dealing with the menace.

"I don’t agree with anyone who is into galamsey irrespective of your political affiliation. I’m pleading with the soldiers to help Abu Jinapor fight galamsey. If not we will be in trouble. "I’ve spoken to Jinapor about how to fight galamsey. Anyone who is into galamsey even it is me, you should kill me. Burn the excavators and kill them. Every equipment should be destroyed. It’s a battle and there’s no format in a battle.”

The Akufo-Addo government’s fight against illegal mining has been reignited after it failed during the first term.

The anti-galamsey taskforce, Operation Halt are in the fourth phase of their onslaught on illegal mining with the Ankobra River and other water bodies in the Western Region the points of focus.

The government announced last week that 401 military officers have been deployed to undertake protection activities in the Western Region.

“The Ghana Armed Forces has commenced the fourth phase of Operation Halt II aimed at removing all persons and logistics involved in mining from water bodies.

“The new phase of the operation focuses on the Ankobra River and its tributaries. The operation is being undertaken by four funded and one men of all ranks,” the release said.