The General Secretary of the Ghana National Association of Small-Scale Miners (GNASSM), Godwin Armah says the association welcomes the replacement of police on the Operation Vanguard team.

“It’s very apt for the police to be detailed in the mining areas because this should take a civilian approach and they being the law enforcers will do a good job in the task force operations,” he told host Kweku Owusu Adjei on Anopa Kasapa on Kasapa 102.5 FM.

He added:” if the Mineral’s commission nabs illegal miners and seize their equipment, they’re supposed to be sent to the police station, and the police will take up the matter and send it to court.”

Reports suggest that Operation Vanguard the anti-galamsey operation task force has been ordered to withdraw from all illegal mining areas in the country with immediate effect.

This comes on the back of recent backlash from the public against the Military, allegations of bribery in the fight against illegal mining, the lack of confidence from the public among others.

Meanwhile, Armah contends that it would be delusional for anybody to think that illegal mining can be eliminated completely.

He intimated that the nation requires a concerted effort to minimise it, adding that "if you minimise it, the negative environmental footprints will also minimise to enable our environment take shape again”.