President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has commended the media for its role in the fight against illegal small scale mining [galamsey] in the country.

Speaking to journalists at the Flagstaff House on Wednesday, 17 January, as part of his second encounter with the media, the president called on all Ghanaians to support the fight to make the campaign a success.

He said: "My gratitude to the media for the support they're giving in the campaign we are undertaking against galamsey. This is not a short term campaign and we need everybody’s support to make a success of it.

"As I have said before that the almighty blessed us with precious minerals, there has always been and will always be mining in our country. We're not against mining but we cannot accept mining in a manner that risk destroying our country.”

Government last year began a serious campaign against galamsey in order to protect the country’s water bodies and to fight deforestation.