Kwesi Arthur-Barnes Jr., a Ghanaian military officer specializing in defense and security, counterterrorism, international relations, peacebuilding and conflict resolution, and environmental advocacy.

Galamsey is a Threat to Public Health and National Security

Small-scale mining in Ghana has been exploited to the point of putting the country on a brink of a collapsed future. Illegal small-scale mining, commonly referred to as "galamsey", has led to an almost irreversible menace in Ghana by causing severe environmental degradation, especially in the country's water bodies and forests. Kwesi Arthur-Barnes Jr .
Sharing a few thoughts from a military standpoint, the situation, if not addressed immediately with draconian measures, poses significant threats to national security, public health, and socio-economic stability.

The activities of illegal miners have not only destroyed ecosystems but also contributed to land conflicts, child labour, and criminal networks that undermine the rule of law.
During my undergraduate thesis at KNUST about some 11 years ago, I researched the impact of heavy metals, notably mercury, and the chemical compound cyanide in the Tano River due to the activities of galamsey miners.

Samples taken revealed volumes of these metals that were extremely beyond their recommended limits.
Mining in Tano River communities has only continued and worsened over the period, and the already terrible situation has almost inevitably deteriorated.
A thousand and one adverse effects of this menace could be outlined, and the very simple question that begs an answer is, "What are we doing about it?".

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Remedial and Security Measures to Combat Galamsey (Illegal Mining) - Kwesi Arthur-Barnes Jr

• Enhanced intelligence and surveillance using intelligence networks and advanced surveillance technologies such as drones to monitor illegal mining operations in real-time and gather actionable data for interventions.
• Joint operations between military and police task forces to clamp down on illegal miners, dismantling organized networks that promote galamsey.
  In that vein, internal security operations such as Operations VANGUARD and HALT II could be reactivated with renewed mandates that will serve to deal severely with perpetrators of environmental pollution.
• Securing mining zones by deploying personnel to enforce laws in restricted mining areas and safeguard the environment from further exploitation is also a way to go.
• Integrated long-term, workable, and pragmatic measures should be employed to engage local mining communities. This will be to sensitize them to the long-term damage caused by galamsey and to convince them to report illegal activities for bounty.

Land reclamation efforts are also crucial to remedying the situation. Nature has its own way of healing and regenerating itself, so I firmly believe that the depleted and deplorable state of our forests and water bodies will return to their natural states with time.
If galamsey must be stopped, it will require the will of the authorities and the people, an amalgamation of necessary resources, the use of both kinetic and non-kinetic means, and a ruthless determination to succeed.

Kwesi Arthur-Barnes Jr emphasizes the need for strong determination and a combination of both kinetic and non-kinetic measures to effectively combat galamsey and protect Ghana's future.