What happened to resources given to soldiers to protect water bodies - VOA correspondent

International journalist Kent Mensah has raised critical questions regarding the military's failure to protect Ghana's water bodies from the destructive impact of illegal mining, also known as galamsey, despite significant state resources being allocated to the fight in 2021.

Mensah, who reports for AFP, Al Jazeera, and Voice of America (VOA), took to social media to express his concerns, stating that the military had been given ample resources and government support to tackle the menace. However, the situation has not improved, and the country’s natural resources continue to suffer.

“What happened to the soldiers? In 2021, the Defence Minister announced that 200 soldiers had been deployed to protect our water bodies from illegal mining (galamsey). So what became of that effort? Did the soldiers fail, or were they simply overwhelmed by the scale of the problem?” Mensah wrote in a Facebook post on Tuesday, 8th October 2024.

He went further to challenge the current narrative, which often places blame on other security agencies like the police for failing to curb galamsey. According to Mensah, the focus should instead be on the military, which had been given the specific mandate and resources to lead the fight against illegal mining.

“We deserve answers. Blaming the police and other security agencies in this fight feels misplaced when the military, with all the state resources and backing, was tasked with protecting our water. If even the military couldn't succeed in this mission, it signals a much larger issue at hand,” he added.

In 2021, Ghana’s Defence Minister Dominic Nitiwul announced the deployment of 200 soldiers to safeguard the country’s water bodies from illegal miners. Nitiwul had assured the public that the operation would target major rivers and forest reserves in regions plagued by galamsey.

“This operation will be conducted on all major rivers and forest reserves in all galamsey-endemic regions throughout the country to rid them of illegal mining activities. There will be aerial patrols at places where the Ghana Armed Forces has also swept past. Armed men would be authorised to take immediate action on anyone who returns to these river bodies to engage in galamsey activities,” Nitiwul had said at the time.

Despite these measures, the destruction of water bodies continues to be a critical issue in Ghana. Mensah's comments reflect the growing frustration among the public about the apparent lack of results from government efforts to combat galamsey.

“Our future depends on the protection of our natural resources, and we cannot afford to let this go unanswered,” Mensah concluded.

His remarks come amid widespread public outcry over the ongoing environmental damage caused by illegal mining, with many Ghanaians demanding greater accountability and transparency in the fight against galamsey. With the military and other security agencies under increasing scrutiny, the question remains: what went wrong with the efforts to protect Ghana's water bodies, and how can the country recover from this environmental crisis?

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