The government has announced plans to station the military permanently in areas affected by illegal mining, also known as “galamsey”.

Minister of State in charge of Government Communications, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, said the new measure is part of efforts to protect the country’s natural resources amid growing concerns about the impact of “galamsey”.

The announcement follows several calls from pressure groups for a state of emergency to be triggered in “galamsey”-hit areas, a demand President John Dramani Mahama has dismissed as unnecessary at the moment.

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Speaking in an interview on Channel One TV on Tuesday, September 16,2025, Kwakye Ofosu disclosed that all 44 locations identified as “galamsey” hotspots will have a long-term military presence.

“All the 44 areas that are threatened by ‘galamsey’, there is going to be a permanent military presence,” he said.

He explained that unlike previous security operations where personnel were withdrawn after flushing out illegal miners, the new approach will keep forces on the ground indefinitely.

“In the past, they would go and flush out the characters engaged in ‘galamsey’ and then leave, but now they will have permanent military presence,” he added.

State of emergency demands grow as more groups pile pressure on govt over galamsey

Kwakye Ofosu further indicated that the strategy would also cover the country’s water bodies, stressing: “All the rivers we have will have permanent military presence.”

MRA/VPO

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