Galamsey Fight: Akufo-Addo asks Defense Minister to deploy more military forces

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has asked the Minister of Defence to send more military soldiers to support “Operation Halt,” the government’s campaign to combat illicit mining, also known as galamsey, particularly in areas near water bodies and forest reserves.

This decision comes in response to mounting pressure from Organised Labour, which had demanded an immediate halt to galamsey activities and threatened to go on strike if the government did not act quickly.

In a press statement issued on Wednesday, October 9, 2024, the Presidency declared that the operation would be greatly strengthened, with the deployment of naval boats on filthy river bodies to ensure the immediate suspension of all mining activity, legal or illegal.

Reiterating that no mining operations will be allowed in areas classified as “red zones,” the government reaffirmed its commitment to safeguarding the nation’s water resources and forest reserves.

With the nation’s water quality and ecosystems badly impacted by the galamsey threat, this action attempts to rebuild public trust in the government’s ability to tackle this problem.

“Operation Halt,” an ongoing effort to stop illicit mining operations, is to be intensified. The President has ordered the Minister for Defense to deploy more military personnel in this regard.

Naval boats will be stationed on contaminated river bodies to support the operation and guarantee that all mining activity—legal or illicit—ends right away in and near these bodies of water.