Director of Local Government Services at the Office of the President, Dennis Miracles Aboagye says those involved in galamsey (illegal mining) are not just politicians but also religious and traditional leaders.

Dennis Miracles, speaking on Peace FM's 'Kokrokoo' morning show, disclosed how difficult the fight against this illegal mining menace is noting that galamsey is like cocaine business in Mexico and Colombia.

"It needs many years of hard work, many years of dedication, many years of education and years of trying to cause attitudinal change in the people in this areas, without these things it does not matter how much fight we put out in Galamsey we will not win.”

He sought to disabuse the minds of Ghanaians in thinking that the kingpins behind galamsey are only political figures or people in government.

According to him, "Pastors and Chiefs are involved" in this canker and went further to narrate an incident where some Chiefs offered prayers for galamseyers to use their lands.

"Galamsey is like drugs", he said, stressing the number of people involved is extensive.

"How do you fight this if you are not going to use mind shift change?", he queried.