Omane Boamah unveils strategy to combat galamsey with armed drones and technology

Defense Minister-designate Dr Edward Kofi Omane Boamah has unveiled plans to deploy armed drones as part of a technological strategy to combat illegal mining, locally known as galamsey.

During his vetting by Parliament’s Appointments Committee on January 28 2025, Dr Omane Boamah described this as a shift from conventional military tactics.

He explained that drones, equipped with cameras and weapons, would provide real-time data while reducing human interference and potential compromise.

“Human beings sometimes get compromised if they stay on these operations for a long time," he explained.

"But if you dispatch a UAV, a drone, to go on some lands and send you the exact picture of what is happening, who is going to bribe a drone?” he asked, underscoring the reliability of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).

Dr Omane Boamah projected noticeable improvements in water quality within a year through this strategy, which will also include land reclamation initiatives and livelihood support for affected communities.