'Stop galamsey in the name of God and Ghana!' – Defence minister cautions

The Minister of Defence, Dr. Edward Omane Boamah, has issued a stern warning to individuals engaged in illegal and irresponsible mining, urging them to cease their actions.

In a Facebook post sighted by GhanaWeb, the minister urged individuals to blend patriotism with religion and stop illegal mining, otherwise known as galamsey, which poses a threat to Ghana’s forest reserves.

“In the name of God and Ghana, stop galamsey! No human being resides in the forest reserves! In the name of God and Ghana, stay away from the forest reserves and galamsey. A word to the wise is enough!” he warned.

In the post dated March 10, 2025, the minister, hinting that the government might take drastic measures, urged those interested in mining to regularise their activities through licensing.

“Stop galamsey! If you're interested in mining, seek the necessary regulatory permits. We’ll not talk much,” he emphasised.

Galamsey, a contentious issue in Ghana over the past few decades, has prompted numerous calls for the government to take action.

In recent efforts to address this problem, the government, through the Ministry of Defence, has occasionally deployed the military to high-risk areas, where soldiers have sometimes destroyed mining equipment and machinery, such as excavators.

At a recent press conference, AROCHA Ghana, an environmental activist group, demanded drastic measures against galamsey, describing the burning of excavators as the most effective solution under the circumstances.

GA/AE

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