Andrews Asiedu Tetteh is a security analyst
Security analyst Andrews Asiedu Tetteh has praised the government’s decision to establish military bases along the Ankobra River, describing it as a decisive step in the fight against illegal mining, also known as “galamsey.”
However, he stressed the importance of implementing robust safeguards to ensure that the deployed soldiers are not compromised or influenced by illegal miners.
The initiative follows a high-level inspection of the river on Thursday, September 18, led by the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, together with the Western Regional Minister Joseph Nelson, the Western Regional Security Council, and the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS).
Commenting on the announcement, Tetteh said establishing a permanent military presence in the area is a sound and necessary decision, especially in light of the recent surge in illegal mining activities.
Speaking on Rainbow Radio FM, Tetteh also suggested that this new initiative could create employment opportunities, as the government may need to recruit additional personnel to support the effort.
He was quick to stress the importance of vigilance regarding the military personnel assigned to the new bases.
He cautioned against the potential for soldiers to engage in corrupt practices, such as accepting bribes or concessions, instead of fulfilling their duty to protect the area.
“We must ensure that someone is watching the watchmen,” he stated. “The initiative is a positive one; however, we have to put in measures to prevent the soldiers from engaging in corrupt practices. We have seen scenarios where some soldiers and security personnel deployed to fight galamsey accepted bribes and informed illegal miners to escape before the team arrived at the sites.”
“They are the ones who can be easily influenced to accept bribes and concessions to also engage in galamsey. We need patriotic and loyal people to help the country fight galamsey, not those who can be easily influenced with money,” he added.
