The First Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Joseph Osei Owusu, has restated his calls for a more drastic approach to addressing and tackle the illegal mining menace in the country.

Speaking in an interview on Accra-based AsaasePa FM on October 10, 2024, Osei Owusu, also known as Joe Wise, proposed a "shoot to kill" approach for illegal miners operating in water bodies, suggesting that military personnel assigned to these areas should take such action.

He went on to recount his encounter with some illegal miners who possessed a prospecting license but chose to mine outside of their designated area, in violation of the terms of the license.

"I visited one illegal mining site where they informed me that they have a prospecting license, and that license only allows you to dig one-foot square and dig down to mine, but with what you’ve dug it’s about 100 meters square. They had destroyed all the land with no license, so, with such a person, when he is shot, what is wrong? Once we meet you on the river destroying it, we must kill you," he said.

Joe Wise added that illegal miners will always find strategic ways to evade arrest, rendering the efforts of security agencies ineffective.

He suggested using snipers to target these illegal miners, aiming to send a strong message to other offenders.

"During the operation GalamStop, if the soldiers arrive to arrest them, they all dive into the water and swim away. So, this person, can you arrest him? The only best way is to find a sniper to hide and shoot him.

"Anybody who mines on water bodies is a wicked person and must be killed,” he proposed.

Joe Wise’s recent comments re-echo statements he made in 2018, calling for a shoot-to-kill approach against illegal miners.

His comments were heavily criticised by Ghanaians.

MAG/AE

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