We must engage communities to combat galamsey effectively – Omane Boamah

The illegal mining crisis, known locally as galamsey, has long posed a significant challenge to Ghana’s development, harming the environment and endangering the country’s natural resources.

Dr. Edward Omane Boamah, the Defence Minister-designate, addressed this issue on January 28 during his vetting by Parliament’s Appointments Committee.

He stressed the importance of a holistic strategy to tackle galamsey, one that goes beyond military action alone.

Dr. Omane Boamah acknowledged the gravity of the situation, saying, “The fight against galamsey should not be viewed purely through the lens of soldiers going to fight it.

We need to engage the people and inform them of the other livelihood programmes and their benefits.”

He emphasized that while military involvement is necessary to curb the illegal mining activities, it is not a one-size-fits-all solution.

Engaging local communities and offering alternative livelihood opportunities are key to reducing galamsey participation.

According to Dr. Omane Boamah, such initiatives will help reduce the number of people involved in illegal mining, stating, “So the numbers will reduce, and those that will be left won’t overwhelm the police.

“We need to fight galamsey as a comprehensive thing and bring in the military in addition to modern technology to help them deal with it,” stated.

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