Galamsey: Military deployment & burning of chanfans is laziest approach – Col Festu Aboagye

Security expert, Colonel Festus Aboagye (Retired), has criticized the military's involvement in tackling illegal small-scale mining (galamsey) and the burning of chanfans, calling it the "laziest approach" to addressing this national security threat. He questioned the sustainability of using military forces to combat the issue.

His remarks come after soldiers, deployed as part of the government’s "Operation Halt" initiative, destroyed 18 chanfans, 10 industrial water pumps, and an excavator at various illegal mining sites in Ghana. This operation is part of the government’s broader efforts to curb illegal mining activities.

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo recently directed additional military deployments to intensify these efforts. He also instructed the Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology, and Innovation, alongside the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), to suspend the enforcement of L.I 2462, which pertains to mining in forest reserves.

The president's directive followed a meeting with Organized Labour, which had threatened a nationwide strike if the government failed to act against illegal mining. A statement from the presidency outlined several measures, including the deployment of naval boats to stop all mining activities, legal or illegal, in and around polluted river bodies.

During an interview on TV3’s News 360, Col. Aboagye argued that the destruction of 18 chanfans is insignificant without comprehensive intelligence on the galamsey situation. He emphasized the lack of baseline data on the number of illegal miners, the extent of their operations, or the locations being affected. He also questioned the absence of a clear political objective or timeline for the military operation, suggesting that the government has not provided a well-thought-out strategy, but rather, is engaging in a temporary political maneuver. He expressed concern about the sustainability of the military's involvement, comparing it to past operations that failed to deliver long-term results.