The Minister for Defence, Dr Edward Omane Boamah, has declared that the government possesses the necessary political will to confront and defeat illegal mining, widely known as galamsey.

Dr Omane Boamah's remarks follow a significant military operation in the Western Region, where the Ghana Armed Forces discovered and dismantled a hidden galamsey settlement accommodating over 10,000 individuals.

In a Facebook post on Wednesday, 16 April, Dr Boamah stressed that the fight against illegal mining will no longer be dominated by rhetoric but by decisive action.

“We’ll talk less and let action and outcomes guide us,” he wrote, signalling a shift towards a results-driven approach to tackling the environmental crisis posed by galamsey activities.

The Minister made a heartfelt appeal to illegal miners, urging them to vacate Ghana’s forest reserves and water bodies for the sake of their lives and the environment.

“Once again, in the name of God and Ghana, leave the forest reserves and water bodies. Save your lives. Save the environment,” he pleaded, underscoring the devastating impact of illegal mining on the country’s natural resources.

Dr Boamah assured the public that the Ghana Armed Forces have been fully equipped and empowered to deal with the situation.

“The Ghana Armed Forces has been empowered. We have the needed political will,” he affirmed, adding that the military would continue to act decisively in support of national efforts to safeguard the environment.