I will fight galamsey with AI — Mahama

John Mahama, the flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has announced ambitious plans to harness Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology to fight illegal small-scale mining, commonly known as 'galamsey'.

Speaking at the '3rd Annual Transformational Dialogue on Small-scale mining' hosted by the University of Energy and Natural Resources in Sunyani, Mahama highlighted the pressing need for innovative solutions to tackle the menace of galamsey, which has plagued Ghana.

During his address to the audience, the former President underscored the importance of leveraging technological advancements to bolster monitoring efforts in the small-scale mining sector and mitigate its adverse environmental impact.

"We are committed to introducing and promoting technological innovations to enhance our capacity for comprehensive monitoring of the small-scale mining industry, with the aim of reducing its environmental footprint," he declared.

He proposed the integration of AI technology to identify and track small-scale mining and galamsey activities, monitor the movement of excavators, and establish geo-fences around mining concessions to deter unauthorized operations, particularly in ecologically sensitive areas such as water bodies and forest reserves.

"This initiative will entail the use of AI algorithms to pinpoint all instances of small-scale mining and galamsey, monitor the activities of excavators, and implement geo-fencing measures around mining concessions to ensure compliance with regulations, including the protection of water bodies," Mahama explained.

Mahama emphasized that this initiative seeks to strengthen collaborative efforts in monitoring and regulating mining activities, thereby fostering sustainable mining practices and safeguarding the environment for future generations.