Ekow Panyin Okyere Eduamoah, the Central Regional Minister, has asked security agencies, particularly the police, to treat illegal mining as a serious offense requiring urgent and decisive intervention to halt its devastating effects on the nation.
He noted that illegal mining was not just an environmental concern but a severe criminal act that undermined national efforts toward sustainable development and environmental governance.
Consequently, he charged the police to crack down on the menace, as calls grew for action following the Regional Security Council's visit to some 'galamsey'-endemic communities in the region.
Addressing police personnel at the Central Command on Tuesday as part of his official visit to state institutions, departments, and agencies, he regretted the connivance of some self-seeking security personnel with miners in the fight against galamsey.
