Accra, Aug. 1, GNA - Mr Dominic Nitiwul, the Minister of Defence, has warned people who would attempt to obstruct the operations of the anti-galamsey security taskforce to stay away for their own interest.
'Don't dare them because the country is behind the taskforce, it will not be in your interest to dare them,' he cautioned.
He said the taskforce was mandated to halt the operations of illegal miners on illegal mining sites and protect the environment from further exploitation, saying; 'we cannot afford to fail in this mission'.
'Illegal mining has assumed international dimension to the extent that our neighbours, Cote d'Ivoire, are complaining that we are spoiling their waters.
'Indiscipline has permeated our society to the extent that people believe that destroying the rivers and the environment to make money is better than others getting water to drink,' he noted.
Mr Nitiwul said this at the launch of the anti-galamsey operation code named 'Operation Vanguard' at Burma Camp in Accra.
He urged the taskforce comprising 400 joint Military/Police personnel, to work assiduously to end the menace of illegal mining otherwise known as 'galamsey' once and for all.
The Minister charged them to be professional and use sound judgement in their operations without infringing on the rights of others.
He said government was not against mining but would encourage mining in disciplined, sustained and productive manner, which would be achieved under the Multilateral Mining Integrated Project for the next five years with an initial budget of $ 150 million allocated to implement it.
'You're the first batch to move to the field so do us proud but be mindful that in the environment of social media, you must be professional,' he advised.
It is estimated that one million people are involved in the chain of mining activities in the country, including foreigners.
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has pledged his unflinching support to end the galamsey phenomenon and put his job on the line.
The personnel are deployed to the Western, Eastern and Ashanti regions for the operation after undergoing a two-week robust training at the Bundase Training Camp, which equipped them with the requisite skills and orientation for the task.
GNA
By Godwill Arthur-Mensah, GNA
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