Anti-galamsey secretariat opens
The government has launched a National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS), a centralised body mandated to coordinate the fight against illegal mining in the country.
The secretariat, located at Cantonments, will serve as the central command for intelligence-led nationwide operations to crack down on illegal mining, commonly called galamsey.
The Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, jointly launched the secretariat with the Minister of the Interior, Muntaka Mohammed Mubarak, and Deputy Minister of Defence, Ernest Brogya Genfi, in Accra.
Meant to address the longstanding challenges of uncoordinated enforcement efforts, the secretariat will coordinate all activities of state security forces and agencies on galamsey.
Again, the secretariat is expected to develop field strategies and conduct tactical operations to combat illegal mining.
Mr Buah explained that the secretariat would have an additional role of enforcing mining and environmental laws in consultation with established state institutions and organisations.
He added that the secretariat would work closely with traditional leaders and communities to engender broader and inclusive solutions to the galamsey menace.
“The secretariat will also be liaising with the National Security Secretariat for synergy in the overall approach in the fight against illegal mining and report regularly to the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources on progress made, new trends observed, and the overall outlook of the national response,” he said.
Mr Buah said the secretariat would rely on credible data to execute its mandate to ensure that no discretionary or uninformed actions that could compromise operational integrity or the government’s credibility were taken.
Assurance
Mr Buah said with 16 per cent of the country’s land reserves already degraded by illegal mining activities, NAIMOS would provide the focused leadership required to win this fight and salvage the situation.
He stressed that the government remained resolute to fight and win the galamsey battle “no matter what the challenges may be.”
"I assure the Ghanaian people of my unwavering support for NAIMOS in our quest to eradicate galamsey," he said.For his part, Mr Muntaka pledged his utmost support for the secretariat, stressing that the coordination of efforts to halt the menace would ensure efficiency and effectiveness of the government’s interventions.
He called on all stakeholders to collaborate with the secretariat to ensure that the collective fight against galamsey yielded the needed results.
The Deputy Minister of Defence, Ernest Brogya Genfi, also said the military would play its role as a critical partner in NAIMOS-led operations.
He said actions would be focused on reclaiming degraded forests and polluted water bodies.
“That this initiative has the endorsement of the Commander-in-Chief of the Ghana Armed Forces, His Excellency John Dramani Mahama, we cannot joke with it,” he stressed.
