Deal ‘ruthlessly’ with recalcitrant illegal miners – Lands Minister charges NAIMOS task force

Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Amarh Kofi-Buah, has issued a strong directive to security forces tasked with fighting illegal mining, commonly known as galamsey, charging them to be “firm, resolute, and ruthless” in their operations.

Speaking at the closing ceremony of a one-week training programme for the newly-formed National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) at the Liberation Barracks in Sunyani, the Minister said illegal miners who defy the law are “enemies of the state” and must be dealt with decisively.

“Any recalcitrant entering into these zones is not merely a trespasser. They are an enemy of the state. You are to be firm. You are to be resolute. You are to be ruthless.

“And please, take it from me, you will take no obstructionist instruction from any big man. Remember, the biggest man in Ghana is the President of the Republic, and he’s the one who has sent you,” Mr Kofi-Buah charged.

The Minister stated that the government remains committed to ending galamsey, describing the fight as one to “save the soul of the country.”

He added that the licensing regime for small-scale mining is being overhauled to prevent politically connected individuals from receiving illegal permits.

“We are not making any excuses, but it is unthinkable that we can just be doling out licenses to political apparatchiks because they are politically connected.

“I’m happy to tell you that we’ve stopped that bleeding, and we are completely restructuring the licensing regime of our country. And let me say clearly, the systems we are putting in place are not a system that gives favours to political comrades.

“It is a system that gives preference to people who are qualified, who understand what it requires to have alliances, who engage in responsible and sustainable mining, who will be held accountable if they fail to do so,” he said.

The newly trained NAIMOS task force, made up of personnel from the military, police, immigration service, National Intelligence Bureau, Narcotics Control Commission, and National Security, demonstrated their upgraded operational capacity through role-play exercises at the ceremony.

Director of Operations at NAIMOS, Colonel Dominic Bua, said the training had prepared the team for effective and efficient deployment.

“This was meant to harness their potential and prepare them for effective and efficient operations once they are deployed in the field. And I must say that this has been very successful.

“The enthusiasm and will displayed by the able men and women before us today is a testament that indeed NAIMOS is the best option for the fight against illegal mining,” he added.

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