The Chief of Akyem Hemang, Osabarima Mmirrikkissi Okasum Apori Atta, has called for a more aggressive approach in dealing with illegal miners, labeling them as terrorists and murderers due to the devastating effects of their activities on Ghana’s environment and water bodies.
Speaking passionately about the unchecked destruction caused by illegal mining, commonly known as galamsey, Osabarima Apori Atta expressed frustration over the lack of enforcement of Ghana’s mining laws. He criticized regulators and security agencies for failing to take decisive action against those responsible for polluting the country’s rivers and lands.
“So many laws, but the actors or implementers will not enforce them because security services and regulators are supposed to act, yet they do nothing,” he lamented.
The chief further pointed out how illegal miners evade consequences by reporting enforcers to the police, falsely accusing them of theft or assault when confronted. He also noted a growing trend of women engaging in a form of mining known as koli-koli, calling for their arrest.
Osabarima Apori Atta warned of the long-term consequences of illegal mining, stating that the destruction of Ghana’s water bodies disproportionately affects the poor, who cannot afford to buy clean water.
“When they destroy our water bodies, I can buy [water], but what about the poor man who cannot? When they cannot buy, they will turn on us and start complaining. Don’t complain—destroy it, destroy it!” he declared.
Calling for immediate action, the traditional leader suggested that illegal miners should not only be arrested but also have their equipment completely destroyed to prevent the cycle from continuing.
“I don’t believe in seizing equipment and putting it somewhere, only for another government to return it to them. We should burn it to ashes and, if possible, arrest them and treat them as murderers,” he stressed.
