Operation Vanguard 'very successful' – Dominic Nitiwul

Defence Minister Dominic Nitiwul has lauded the Operation Vanguard taskforce for its fight against illegal small-scale mining (galamsey) saying their efforts have been successful.

Mr Nitiwul also added that officers from the navy have been deployed along river bodies to ensure illegal miners do not return to base.

He disclosed this to Class News after he presented the Major Maxwell Mahama Trust Fund bill to Parliament on Tuesday, 24 October 2017.

This follows President Nana Akufo-Addo’s promise to set up a memorial trust fund with seed money of GH¢500,000 to cater for the late Army officer’s widow and children with a personal donation of GH¢50,000.

Mr Nitiwul said: “So far, we are satisfied with what has happened. We have now deployed the navy to patrol the waters which have been the concern of many Ghanaians. Originally, Operation Vanguard was centred mostly around the land and you can see that galamsey has largely stopped although there are some recalcitrant people who will not want to listen and try to do that in the night, which Operation Vanguard is doing very well in the three regions they have been assigned.

“We have deployed the navy now, especially in the Western and Eastern regions and we are yet to deploy them to Ashanti Region especially along the rivers so that they can stop [illegal miners] with some of their boats …so Operation Vanguard in our eyes has been very successful and I think the soldiers are doing very well and we will keep supporting them.”