Galamsey fight: 'Another Major Mahama gone because of Mahama’s inaction' — Prof Abavare on NAIMOS officer’ death

President of the KNUST chapter of the University Teachers Association of Ghana, Prof. Eric Abavare

President of the KNUST chapter of the University Teachers Association of Ghana, Prof. Eric Abavare, is urging President John Dramani Mahama to impose an immediate temporary ban on mining in galamsey-hit zones, following the death of a member of the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat.

The officer died after the team’s vehicle was involved in a devastating crash on the night of Wednesday, November 19, 2025, while returning from an operation at a concession in Anyankyerim, an area said to be overrun by illegal miners. Four other officers suffered severe injuries and were first treated at the Obuasi Government Hospital before being transferred to the Anglogold Obuasi Hospital.

Prof. Abavare, reacting to the news in a Facebook post on Thursday, expressed outrage over the continuous loss of security personnel in the struggle against illegal mining. He wondered why Ghana continues to lose men on the frontlines while the state hesitates to take stronger action.

He described the fallen officer as yet another “son, brother, uncle, father and breadwinner” whose life had been cut short because of what he called the greed of individuals destroying the nation’s future. He compared the tragedy to earlier deaths, including that of Major Maxwell Mahama and eight other officials, insisting that the latest incident was a painful reminder of the deadly cost of inaction.

Prof. Abavare accused the President of failing to show decisiveness, insisting that the situation demands immediate intervention to prevent further deaths. He stressed that state security officers should not be sacrificed because the government is unwilling to declare a temporary stop to activities in dangerously compromised mining zones.

He also drew attention to the wider impact of illegal mining. He cited disturbing accounts of schoolchildren who claimed to be involved in galamsey and others who had fallen ill after consuming polluted water. He mentioned the shutdown of the Kwayanko treatment plant and reports that Ghana Water officials were considering pumping water from an Anglogold mine pit for residents of Tarkwa due to the devastation of the Bonsa River.

Prof. Abavare noted that these developments show how urgently the crisis must be addressed. He concluded with a somber warning that if the President does not recognise the severity of the situation, then the country’s future will depend on divine mercy.