Former Senior Presidential Aide, Dr. Tony Aidoo, has urged the government to adopt a decisive military-led strategy to end illegal mining (galamsey) within months. According to him, the deployment of just over 1,060 soldiers could effectively dismantle illegal mining operations across Ghana’s forests and water bodies.
Speaking on JoyNews on July 17, 2025, Dr. Aidoo criticised the limited use of Ghana’s military resources in tackling what he described as a grave national security threat.
“We feed the soldiers, we clothe them, we house them. Why is illegal mining still going on? Where is the military? That is what they should be doing,” he emphasized.
Dr. Aidoo’s comments come amid growing concern over the environmental destruction caused by galamsey, particularly the pollution of river bodies like the Pra, Ankobra, and Birim, which has severely affected water treatment operations and increased the cost of potable water.
Dr. Aidoo estimates that the economic toll of galamsey reached about 18% of Ghana’s GDP by the end of 2024, an unsustainable cost that demands urgent intervention.
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A Military Blueprint to Stop Galamsey
Echoing sentiments shared by Dr. Nyaho Nyaho Tamakloe, Dr. Aidoo laid out a concrete plan:
“Deploy two battalions—1,000 men—supported by two platoons of engineer regiments (30 each), and you’ll clean out illegal miners from our water bodies in just three weeks.”
He further recommended a “hit-and-hold” strategy: after clearing illegal mining sites, the military should leave 50 soldiers at each location for three weeks to deter the miners from returning.
Previous Military Interventions and Challenges
Ghana’s military has been deployed in several anti-galamsey efforts, including:
Operation Vanguard (launched in 2017)
Operation Halt II (relaunched in 2021 and intensified in April 2025)
Despite some success, these initiatives have been plagued by:
Corruption allegations and complicity among military personnel
Political interference undermining enforcement
Concerns from small-scale miners about militarisation and lack of community involvement
In one notable case, Defence Minister Dr. Edward Omane Boamah commended a soldier who rejected a bribe from illegal miners with a promotion, underscoring the internal corruption risks.
A National Emergency
On July 15, 2025, President John Dramani Mahama declared the galamsey situation a “national emergency”, ordering the arrest of corrupt task force members involved in extortion.
Meanwhile, civil society organisations like the Ghana Coalition Against Galamsey (GCAG) continue to demand action, warning that Ghana’s natural resource base is under existential threat.
Public Accountability at Stake
Dr. Aidoo stressed that failing to act on illegal mining and corruption could cost the government public trust.
“If the goodwill Ghanaians gave the NDC is to be preserved, the government must act decisively on galamsey and corruption. You can’t take the people for granted.”
His remarks reflect a growing national consensus: illegal mining is a multi-dimensional threat that requires not just short-term enforcement, but long-term strategic commitment, military discipline, and political will.
source: myjoyonline
