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The Acting Chief Executive Officer of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Professor Nana Ama Klutse, has called for increased resources to bolster her organisation’s efforts in the fight against illegal mining, commonly known in Ghana as galamsey.
According to her, tackling the menace requires a radical and well-resourced approach. She stated that with five helicopters, firearms, and sufficient ammunition, the EPA could eliminate illegal miners from the country’s water bodies within two weeks.
Speaking in an interview on UTV, Professor Klutse expressed concern over the increasing destruction of Ghana’s water bodies and the associated health risks.
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She explained:
The EPA visits forests and galamsey sites all the time, and we must do so with the military and national security personnel which is expensive. We need a comprehensive and well-funded plan. My main focus is on our water bodies because 90% of them are polluted.
She continued:
I believe we can fight galamsey more effectively than we currently are. As the EPA, we would need five helicopters, a few guns, and two weeks to drive illegal miners out of the water bodies. The land is not as urgent a concern because people depend directly on these polluted water sources for drinking.
The Ghana Water Company is struggling to produce safe water. We need to be more radical in this fight. As for the land, we must gradually reclaim it for agricultural use.
Professor Klutse, however, assured the public that the EPA remains committed to combating the galamsey menace.
Illegal mining in Ghana has caused severe environmental degradation, including the pollution of rivers with mercury and cyanide, deforestation, and widespread soil erosion.
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These issues pose significant long-term threats to ecosystems and public health.
Despite crackdowns and regulatory interventions, illegal mining continues to thrive, driven by poverty, limited employment opportunities, and rising global demand for gold.