Will the fight against galamsey be successful?

I wonder if the fight against galamsey will be successful. The current security and environmental situation around the Obuasi Airstrip, the AngloGold Ashanti (AGA) Farms, and the surrounding communities goes to show that, galamsey is very strong to fight against.

Why am I saying that? Galamsey activities in the Obuasi Airstrip enclave goes on under the supervision of the military. AGA had built an army barracks for the military but they careless about illegal mining activities along the Obuasi airstrip.

The Obuasi Airstrip and the newly constructed Army Barracks (Military Camp) are situated in an area increasingly encroached upon by illegal mining (galamsey). Despite the proximity of the barracks, illegal miners have continued to operate in the enclave, particularly in the Adaase and Anyankyirem communities.

The traditional leaders and residents have voiced concerns that galamsey activities are threatening the very foundation of the military barracks and the airstrip and reports suggest a complex dynamic where, despite intermittent "Operation Halt" interventions, the sheer scale of the mining population and the invasion of concessions (like the Cote D'or Ramp) often overwhelm or bypass local security outposts unless a major swoop is organized by national task forces like NAIMOS.

There is so much destruction on the AGA Farms (Obuasi goes Agro). The AGA Farms, originally part of the "Obuasi goes Agro" project designed to provide sustainable livelihoods for the youth, have been significantly compromised. Large sections of these lands, intended for oil palm and other agriculture activities, have been invaded. The arable land has been turned into a landscape of open pits and contaminated soil, effectively stalling the agricultural project.

Some local chiefs have alleged that certain former municipal officials and even some traditional leaders in nearby Akrokerri have facilitated the handover of these lands to illegal miners.

The surge in galamsey activities has led to a heavy police presence on the roads leading to and from the mining sites. Police barriers have been mounted at key intersections and access roads near the AGA concessions and there are persistent reports and local grievances claiming that these barriers serve more as "toll booths" than security checkpoints.

It is alleged that, illegal miners and transporters of gold-bearing ore (load) are allowed passage after paying unofficial fees. Security personnel "look the other way" regarding the movement of heavy equipment and chemicals like cyanide and mercury in exchange for cash.

Investigations by journalists (such as Erastus Asare Donkor) have frequently highlighted a "tripartite collusion" between some security officers, local chiefs, and illegal mining organizers, which undermines national efforts to stop the menace.

The tension in the area reached a breaking point in January 2025, when a violent clash at the AGA concession resulted in the deaths of seven miners during a confrontation with the military. This incident underscored the high stakes in the area, yet illegal activities have persisted into 2026, shifting further toward the peri-urban areas near the airstrip. A gold dealer has his excavators lineup along the way without any fear because these security agency are on his payroll.

The situation in the Obuasi Airstrip enclave represents a breakdown in the rule of law where legal mining concessions and state infrastructure are being swallowed by galamsey. The military are not patriotic at all and has not acted as a total deterrent, and the police barriers are perceived by many locals not as a solution, but as a profitable byproduct of the illegal activity.

We are pleading the Ashanti Regional Security Council (REGSEC), notifying REGSEC of the deteriorating security and environmental situation within the Obuasi Airstrip enclave, specifically focusing on the AngloGold Ashanti (AGA) Farms and surrounding communities.

Encroachment on Strategic Infrastructure: Illegal mining activities (galamsey) are currently occurring within dangerous proximity to the Obuasi Airstrip and the newly established Army Barracks, threatening the structural integrity of state assets, the "Obuasi Goes Agro" project, intended for sustainable youth employment, has been forcibly occupied and degraded by illegal miners, rendering the land unusable for agriculture.

There must be an immediate evacuation, a coordinated task force operation to clear the AGA Farms and the airstrip perimeter. And a permanent Surveillance: The establishment of a 24/7 joint military-police patrol that is regularly rotated to prevent "familiarity-based" corruption and extortion. We have received numerous accounts of illegal miners being allowed to transport gold-bearing "load" and mining equipment past these barriers upon payment of bribes.

We call on the Ashanti Regional Minister and the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to:

* Investigate the "look-on" attitude of security forces stationed near the AGA Farms.

* Dismantle barriers that have become synonymous with extortion rather than protection.

* Protect the remaining agricultural lands of the AGA Farms for the sake of the youth's future.

We will not remain silent while the wealth of our land is traded for pittance at the expense of our future.

A concern citizen.