Professor Ransford Gyampo has said he still stands by his call for a state of emergency to be declared to fight the illegal small-scale mining (Galamnseny).
he CEO of the Shippers Authority says that even though the president thinks this should be the last option, it is a position that he still holds.
“It is a position I still hold, I am not shying away from it. I believe it is the way to go…It is a principled position that I took and I stand by it,” he said on the Key Points on TV3 Saturday, September 27.
Prof Gyamo further commended the Lands Minister for declaring the galamsey areas a security zone.
“I want to commend the minister, we should encourage the government to do more in the fight against galasmeny,” he said.
The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, has declared forest reserves and river bodies as Security Zones that will be protected at all costs.
He made this declaration at the closing ceremony of the week-long intensive training programme for personnel of the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) held in Sunyani on September 26.
“You are the sharpened tip of the spear. Any recalcitrant entrant into these declared Security Zones is not merely a trespasser; they are an enemy of the state and are to be treated as such. You are to be firm, resolute, and ruthless against those who seek to profit from the destruction of our common heritage and at our expense.” Mr Buah charged.
He further emphasized that the NAIMOS personnel will be deployed permanently in the forest reserves and along the river bodies to provide sustained protection.
The Minister urged them to embody vigilance, integrity, and courage, with the assurance that the President and well-meaning Ghanaians are relying on them to secure the environment for future generations. “We cannot fail, and we will not fail,” he emphasized.
Mr Buah commended the team for their relentless efforts and achievements chalked since its establishment in June this year.
Notable among the achievements are the arrests of over a thousand illegal miners, the repossession of nine (9) previously “no-go” forest reserves, and the confiscation of over 900 water pumps machines which have been handed over to the Ministry of Agriculture to support farmers with irrigation.
“These are not mere statistics. They are victories; victories for our land, for our water, and for our people,” He added.
He reminded the task force that the battle is far from over. He described the training not as a routine exercise but as a convergence of purpose – sharpening skills, building cohesion, and harmonizing efforts among the Ghana Army, Police Service, Immigration Service, NIB, and NACOC officers as one united force.
The Minister also outlined the Ministry’s 5-Pronged Strategy which combines strict enforcement, engagement and education, provision of alternative livelihoods, technological innovation, and institutional coordination.
He noted that the training modules, covering weapons handling, field craft, IED awareness, and intelligence coordination were deliberately designed to prepare the team to deal with evolving threats.
The Field Task Force training marks a pivotal moment in government’s aggressive anti-galamsey strategy not only scaling up enforcement but also sustaining reforms in the mining sector to ensure responsible and sustainable practices across the country.
Source:3news