‘Shoot-to-kill’ approach inappropriate in fight against illegal mining - Mahama

“You cannot just wake up and send soldiers after our youngest people, and shooting them is not the right way to go,” were the words of former President John Dramani Mahama at the NDC’s Kumasi Unity Walk.

The former President condemned the Akufo- Addo’s administration for using the combined force of the military and police officers to shoot to kill recalcitrant ‘galamseyers’ following the fight against illegal ‘galamsey’.

He was of the opinion that the shoot-to-kill approach in dealing with illegal mining in Ghana is not the right way to go and has called on government to revise its notes.

The members of the Operation Vanguard have been accusing of abuses including shooting to kill stubborn galamseyers and the burning of excavators, instead of seizing them.

“When NDC government was in power, we sent soldiers to fight illegal mining in the country but our efforts proved futile. We decided to bring a new mining law to deal with illegal miners but we lost 2016 elections to NPP. If you put a blanket ban and then you send soldiers after our youngest people that’s not the right way to go,” he told thousands who walked with him in Kumasi.

Mr Mahama, while admitting that illegal mining is destroying lands and water bodies in the country, he suggested to the government to put proper measures in place to do away with the shoot-to-kill approach.