Galamsey fight cannot be won in two years – Sukparu

Deputy Minister for Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations, Mohammed Adams Sukparu, has cautioned that Ghana’s fight against illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey, cannot be completely resolved within two years.

According to him, the complex nature of illegal mining requires sustained interventions and a long-term commitment rather than short-term measures.

Speaking on Breakfast Daily on Channel One TV on Tuesday, August 18, Mr Sukparu said the government remained committed to tackling the menace but urged Ghanaians to recognise that achieving lasting results would take time.

“I'm saying that the galamsey fight is a process. I have always maintained that, to fight galamsey, you cannot use one year; you can't use two years. It is a process,” he said.

He cited the revocation of Legislative Instrument (L.I.) 247 as one of the major steps taken by the government to strengthen efforts against illegal mining.

“If you want to measure the level of the fight that this government has brought as far as the galamsey fight is concerned, one is the revocation of L.I. 247, and that alone is a significant achievement as far as fighting galamsey is concerned,” he added.

Mr Sukparu also rejected calls for a shoot-to-kill approach in dealing with illegal miners, stressing that enforcement agencies must operate within the limits of the Constitution and respect the rights of suspects.

“There are a group of people who believe that they should use the shoot-to-kill approach to solve the menace. But there are lawyers in this country who would also argue that their rights ought to be respected,” he stated.

He said the government would continue implementing measures to curb illegal mining, insisting that the fight required sustained enforcement, policy interventions and public cooperation to achieve meaningful and lasting results.