The illegal mining crisis, or galamsey, has plagued Ghana for years, threatening the country’s natural resources, particularly its rivers and water bodies.

While various governments have relied on military intervention to combat the issue, Deputy Minister for Lands and Natural Resources George Mireku Duker believes the solution lies elsewhere—within the hands of everyday Ghanaians.

Speaking at a recent event, Duker made his stance clear: “Let’s do everything possible to sack all illegal miners from our water bodies,” he urged.

However, he cautioned against relying solely on military force, which has been the go-to approach for several administrations.

“Successive governments have tried to use the military to fight galamsey, but none of them succeeded. This shows that militarization of the galamsey fight won’t provide a long-term solution.”

For Duker, the real solution is community involvement and collective responsibility.

He emphasized that while the military may provide temporary relief, lasting change will only come when citizens are genuinely committed to safeguarding the environment.

“We are the ones who can solve the galamsey problem. The solution lies in all of us showing commitment and willingness to protect our rivers and water bodies,” he said.

He pointed out that other countries have successfully addressed similar environmental challenges through community-driven initiatives, and Ghana is no different.

“We can form community watchdogs to protect our water bodies,” he suggested, calling for grassroots action to defend the nation’s vital water sources.