International journalist, Kent Mensah has raised concerns about the military’s failure to protect Ghana’s water bodies from illegal mining, also known as galamsey, despite being provided with state resources and support in 2021.
In a Facebook post on October 8, 2024, Mensah questioned why the military’s deployment of 200 soldiers, announced by Defense Minister Dominic Nitiwul, did not yield the expected results.
He wondered if the soldiers had failed or were simply overwhelmed by the magnitude of the galamsey issue.
Mr Mensah, a correspondent for AFP, Aljazeera, and VOA, argued that it is unfair to place blame on other security agencies, such as the police, for the failed fight against galamsey when the military had been given the primary responsibility to address the problem.
He emphasised that the military received significant resources and state backing for the task, yet the illegal mining crisis persists, leaving the public in need of answers.
The journalist further highlighted that if even the military, with all its resources, could not successfully combat the galamsey menace, it points to a much deeper and more complex issue.
He called for greater accountability and a reevaluation of the strategies employed to tackle illegal mining in Ghana.
“What happened to the soldiers? In 2021, the Defense Minister announced that 200 soldiers had been deployed to protect our water bodies from illegal mining (galamsey). So what became of that effort? Did the soldiers fail, or were they simply overwhelmed by the scale of the problem?” Mr Mensah posted.
He added: “We deserve answers. Blaming the police and other security agencies in this fight felt misplaced when the military, with all the state resources and backing, was tasked with protecting our water. If even the military couldn’t succeed in this mission, it signals a much larger issue at hand.”