The Convener of the Media Coalition Against Illegal Mining, Dr Kenneth Ashigbey, has called on the Ghana Armed Forces and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to equip their personnel with arms and logistics to combat heavily armed miners in the ongoing fight against illegal mining.
Contributing to a discussion on the recent anti-galamsey operation in the Subri River Forest Reserve on TV3 on April 15, 2025 the activist demanded the immediate resourcing of forest guards and military officers with weapons, drones, and other logistics to support the raid aimed at eradicating illegal mining. "We have to commend the forestry guards and military officers who led the operation.
However, they must be well-resourced, armed to the teeth and trained like forest rangers with superior techniques, as soon as possible, so that they can match the miners, who are also armed in the forest," he said.
While applauding the joint operation, which also uncovered other criminal activities beyond galamsey, Dr Ashigbey reiterated his call for an absolute ban on mining in forest reserves.
