All I need is five helicopters, a couple of guns to deal with galamseyers in two weeks – EPA CEO

Professor Nana Ama Browne Klutse is the CEO of the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA). She believes brute force is necessary to fight illegal mining, known as galamsey.

She stated that she needs just two weeks to eliminate polluters from water bodies. According to UTV, she said, “All I need is five helicopters, a couple of guns, and just two weeks.”

Professor Klutse emphasized that galamsey has been declared a war. She questioned why it isn’t treated as such. The EPA requires resources for this battle.

She noted that illegal miners are armed while EPA staff are not. Monitoring teams from the Forestry Commission also lack weapons.

Operations require military and National Security support, which is costly. She asked how often they can afford this assistance. A comprehensive plan is needed to tackle the issue.

Her vision is to clean up heavily contaminated water bodies, currently at about 90%. She believes they can fight this problem more effectively.

In related news, the Ghana Police Service arrested 49 individuals for illegal mining activities across multiple locations. These arrests are part of efforts to combat illegal mining.

The operations occurred in various regions: Western (Huniso, Wassa-Dadieso), Ashanti (Akrokerri), Central (Dunkwa-On-Offin), and Eastern (Awin River at Pankese and Akyem Akwadum).

President John Dramani Mahama spoke at the Global Mining Summit in Accra on June 2. He stated that artisanal miners are not enemies of the state but potential allies if properly trained.

He emphasized collaboration with small-scale miners to reclaim forest reserves and restore water purity. Mahama also mentioned tracking excavators used for illegal mining.

He noted that Ghana has more excavators than all of Africa combined. The new permitting regime will prevent importing excavators without valid permits.

At the summit, Asantehene called for sustained action against illegal activities. He highlighted pollution and destruction caused by these actions cannot continue unchecked.

He pointed out regulatory failures and corruption complicate efforts to curb these issues. There’s an opportunity to explore policy options available for addressing them.

The emergence of a new initiative called Goldbod could boost investment in the industry and improve yields. It adds urgency to tackling these challenges effectively.