The Minister for Lands and Forestry, Peter Amewu, has asked Ghanaians to be the judge in the Ministry’s fight against galamsey.

About 14 illegal miners allegedly lost their lives in Prestea in the Western Region when a pit abandoned by a mining company caved in.

The Lands and Forestry Ministry has since been criticized for not fighting galamsey as being portrayed in the media. Opposition politicians like Kwaku Boahene and Joseph Yamin have accused the Lands and Forestry Ministry of "just paying lip service" and making noise in the media in order to win political points.

Reacting to the allegation on Atinka AM Drive with Ekourba Gyasi Wednesday, the Minister for Lands and Forestry, Peter Amewu explained that Ghanaians will be the best judges since the fight against galamsey is a collective responsibility.

According to him, the ministry has fought effortlessly to remove 98% of excavators from illegal sites and that has reduced illegal activities. He added that the issue of illegal miners visiting abandoned sites is scattered across and it cannot be stopped within a year.

He stated that these illegalities have been going on for about 20 years and that they cannot be stopped within a year .