The crisis of illegal mining, commonly referred to as galamsey, has been a persistent issue in Ghana, significantly endangering the nation’s natural resources, especially its rivers and water bodies.

While military intervention has been the traditional response by various governments to tackle this problem, the Deputy Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, George Mireku Duker, believes the real answer lies in the hands of Ghanaians themselves.

At a recent event, Duker urged citizens to take action “Let’s do everything possible to sack all illegal miners from our water bodies".

He warned, however, against depending solely on military measures, which have been favored by previous administrations.

“Successive governments have tried to use the military to fight galamsey, but none of them succeeded. This shows that militarization of the galamsey fight won’t provide a long-term solution.”

Mr Duker emphasized the importance of community involvement and shared responsibility in finding a lasting resolution to the issue.

He noted that while military efforts may offer temporary respite, genuine commitment from citizens is essential to protect the environment effectively.

“We are the ones who can solve the galamsey problem. The solution lies in all of us showing commitment and willingness to protect our rivers and water bodies,” he said.

Citing examples from other countries that have successfully tackled similar environmental issues through community-led initiatives, Duker suggested that Ghana can also follow suit.

He proposed forming community watchdogs dedicated to safeguarding the nation’s vital water sources, calling for grassroots efforts to address this urgent challenge.

“We can form community watchdogs to protect our water bodies,” he suggested, calling for grassroots action to defend the nation’s vital water sources.