If the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) is given a one-year mandate with clear rules of engagement, they will deliver. Galamsey is destroying the country. The GH¢150 million allocated in the 2026 budget is insufficient and should be increased during a mid-year review if the government is serious about ending the menace, Peter Lanchene Toobu, the Vice Chair of Parliament’s Defence and Interior Committee, has said.
Speaking on TV3's Hot Issues programme on Sunday [Nov 16, 2025], Mr Toobu, a retired police officer and Member of Parliament for Wa West urged stronger support for the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) taskforce.
He suggested that the membership of the task force should be increased from the current 400 to 1,000, in addition to equipping them to tackle illegal mining in Ghana.
According to Mr Toobu, the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF), with only a one-year mandate with clearly defined rules of engagement, can end illegal mining (galamsey) operations.
NAIMOS, Mr Toobu explained, was established to handle the enforcement component of the fight against illegal mining.
He stressed the need to expand the task force’s capacity and equip it fully for effective operations.
“Soldiers are trained for war. In the modern era, conflict is no longer solely between countries. Illegal mining is now a national security threat, and our armed forces must be empowered to address it,” he said.
He called for a holistic approach, noting that enforcement alone would not resolve the problem. “Alternative livelihood programmes, responsible corporate mining, and skills development initiatives must run alongside NAIMOS operations. Only then can legal mining thrive and illegal practices gradually disappear,” he said.
