A former Deputy Editor at the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), Ben Dotsei Malor, has vented his frustration over the deployment of the military to mining sites to address the illegal mining menace known as galamsey.
According to him, the military should not be sent on such missions portraying them as ineffective in the end.
Speaking on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show on Wednesday, October 16, the one-time Head of Communications at the presidency under the era of former President John Mahama, warned that institutions such as the military should not be affected by “our indiscipline, chaos, and corruption.”
He further criticised the deployment of troops to conduct short-term sweeps of troubled areas without sustainable plans in place.
“I hate to see our military reduced to something that is ineffective…I want the military to help but don’t get them in a position where there are failures even before they start going on these operations. They go and sweep the place, the moment they leave, the people go back,” he said.
His comments come after President Akufo-Addo directed the Minister of Defence to send additional military forces to bolster “Operation Halt,” the government’s initiative aimed at combating illegal mining.
The operation concentrates on areas adjacent to water bodies and forest reserves that have been significantly affected by illegal mining activities.
This directive comes in response to increasing pressure from organised labour, which had warned of a nationwide strike if the government failed to implement stronger measures against galamsey.
According to Dortsei Malor, the military has a reputation internationally.
He further questioned what Major Maxwell Mahama, a young soldier would have died six years ago if galamsey is still ongoing.
“Why do we excuse me bardadise our military and take them to an operation we know won’t be effective? Or get the military to be defending people who are destroying the land for ourselves and our children?”
Mr Dortsei Malor believes that the solution to the galamsey menace lies with Ghanaians.
“You can’t tell me we don’t have the solution, we are not fools. Ghanaians, we are good, we know the solutions,” he added.
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