Illegal miners are willing to die to defend their livelihoods, Security Analyst, Dr. Kwesi Aning has indicated.
“The Galamsey issue is not only disturbing not only in terms of destruction of the environment but also the raw numbers of people who are involved and their dependents who now feel their livelihoods are being threatened and are prepared and willing to die to defend their livelihoods and that is even what makes the issue more disturbing,” Dr. Aning said.
His comments follow an attack staged by some irate youth in Obuasi engaging in illegal small mining known as galamsey.
The youth vandalized offices of the governing National Democratic Congress(NDC) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in protest of Anglogold Ashanti’s takeover of a gold concession in the area.
Speaking on the Citi Breakfast Show, Dr. Aning said galamsey operations will continue to escalate because there is collusion at multiple levels.
He argued that galamsey activities have been intensifying for years because authorities in charge of the sector are unwilling to deal with the problem.
Dr. Aning believes the appropriate authority that can deal with the problem is the military.
“We have gotten to the point where the Police Service cannot evict these guys. It will need the military and it will need the military operation that is well thought out so that lives are not lost,” he suggested.
Galmsey: Politicians do not care
Dr. Aning also blamed politicians for the menace, saying they had emboldened illegal miners to threaten the nation’s security with their activities.
According to him, politicians across the divide have been making vain promises,which makes it difficult for the same to control them.
“Political leaders do not just care as far as galamsey activities are concerned,” he said.
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By: Marian Ansah/citifmonline.com/Ghana
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