The National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) has urged security agencies to take robust actions against perpetrators of galamsey in Ghana.

Led by its Chairperson, Kathleen Addy, at a press conference on Wednesday, September 11, 2024, in Accra, she stated that the NCCE is deeply concerned about the continuous degradation of the environment through illegal mining.

She, therefore, urged these agencies to, with immediate effect, take robust actions to curb this menace.

According to her, illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey, is a threat to the country, the environment, public health, and the prosperity of the country.

“The NCCE unequivocally condemns galamsey and calls on all relevant security services, including the Ghana Police Service, the Ghana Armed Forces and other law enforcement agencies to take immediate and decisive actions against perpetrators.

"… The security service must take illegal mining as serious offense that warrants urgent and robust intervention to halt the devastating effect on us as a people,” she noted.

She added, “On the back of the above, we call on the security services to patrol and surveillance in galamsey-prone areas to arrest and prosecute perpetrators to collaborate with local communities to identify and report illegal mining activities.”

The NCCE chairperson emphasized that illegal mining is not just a threat to the environment but also a criminal act that needs intervention.

“It is not just an environmental issue. In our view, it is a criminal activity that undermines the national efforts towards sustainable development and environmental governance,” she said.



VKB/AE