Renowned broadcaster Kwami Sefa Kayi has expressed concerns about the significant security threat posed by illegal miners, commonly known as galamseyers, to the nation.
Discussions about the destructive impact of galamsey have resurfaced following an announcement by the Ghana Water Company Limited in the Central Region, warning of impending water supply challenges in Cape Coast, Elmina, and surrounding communities.
The company attributed the recent demand-supply gap to insufficient raw water at the Sekyere Hemang Water Treatment Plant, a direct consequence of galamsey activities.
In response, the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel Abu Jinapor, declared that the government will soon deploy law enforcement agencies to crack down on illegal mining activities, particularly in the Central Region.
He assured that, enforcement measures would be intensified to clean up areas plagued by galamsey.
However, speaking on Peace FM, Kwami Sefa Kayi, who holds an Executive Master of Arts in Conflict, Peace & Security (EMCPS) from the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC), expressed fears that the country’s failure to effectively combat the galamsey menace could lead to the formation of a rebel armed force.
“You know what I fear? We are creating a rebel armed force out of this galamsey situation. Imagine about four hundred people wielding a hundred guns—these galamseyers are armed. Gradually, we are turning them into what is known as a ragtag army, untrained soldiers who are armed and know how to use rifles.
“If they decide to block the Accra-Kumasi highway, they could easily do so. That is the problem we are faced with. When it comes to security, I have a keen interest. If these galamseyers—about 300 of them—decide to block this critical road, what will we do? By the time security personnel arrive, they would have completed their operation long ago,” Sefa Kayi warned.
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