Dr. Jonathan Asante Okyere, a senior lecturer at the University of Cape Coast, has proposed that soldiers deployed to combat illegal small-scale mining (galamsey) in Ghana should wear body cameras to ensure transparency and accountability during their operations. He suggests that these body cams would record the soldiers’ activities and conversations, helping to prevent potential compromises by illegal miners. His suggestion comes amid ongoing concerns that soldiers, despite their role in fighting galamsey, could be influenced or bribed by miners.
In a related development, security expert Colonel Festus Aboagye (Retired) criticized the government’s approach to tackling the galamsey issue, describing it as “lazy” and unsustainable. He particularly questioned the long-term effectiveness of deploying soldiers to combat illegal mining under the “Operation Halt” initiative, where military personnel recently destroyed 18 chanfans, 10 water pumping machines, and one excavator at illegal mining sites.
Col. Aboagye emphasized that the government lacks a comprehensive strategy and intelligence-driven approach to address the scale of the galamsey menace. He pointed out the absence of key data, such as the total number of illegal miners and equipment in use, which would help set measurable targets for military operations. Without this data, he argued, the destruction of a small number of machines in a short period cannot be seen as meaningful progress.
Moreover, he raised concerns about the sustainability of deploying soldiers to these areas and questioned whether the military presence would lead to long-term results or if it was merely a temporary solution, as seen in previous years. He urged the government to develop a more strategic and sustainable plan that goes beyond short-term military interventions.
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo recently directed the deployment of additional military forces and naval boats to enforce the cessation of all mining activities, legal or illegal, around water bodies. The government has also suspended the enforcement of the Legislative Instrument (LI) 2462, which permits mining in forest reserves, following demands by Organized Labour for immediate action on the galamsey issue.
