Whether you burn our equipment or not, we’ll still do galamsey – Illegal miner reacts after soldiers’ raid

The Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) have intensified the fight against illegal mining, launching a series of coordinated anti-galamsey operations across the Northern, Central, and Southern Commands.

According to the GAF, these targeted operations focused on major illegal mining hubs, particularly in forest reserves and river basins where environmental degradation has been most severe.

Operation Breakdown:

Northern Command: Troops were deployed to the Bole area and the Black Volta Basin, where illegal mining activities have been linked to water pollution and the destruction of farmlands.

Central Command: The military targeted the Nkawie and Mankranso Forest Reserves, where extensive illegal mining poses a significant threat to biodiversity and forest conservation efforts.

Southern Command: Operations in the Southern Command focused on the Jerusalem area and the Subri Forest Reserve, both of which have seen a surge in illegal mining encampments in recent months.

During the operations, several excavators, water pumping machines, and other mining-related equipment were seized and immobilized. Troops also dismantled and destroyed makeshift shelters and structures used by illegal miners within the forest reserves.

These efforts form part of the government’s renewed campaign to restore Ghana’s forest reserves and protect vital water bodies from further pollution, deforestation, and ecological damage.

However, in a video shared on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter), an illegal miner is heard stating that nothing—including the destruction of their equipment—will stop them from engaging in galamsey.

“You see what the soldiers have done to us? They burned our machines this morning—today, Thursday, 17th April. Their actions will cost us a lot, but we cannot stop the galamsey. This action will not deter us. As for the galamsey, we will continue. We are not stopping anytime soon,” the galamseyer stated.

“For the galamsey, we will still continue”

An illegal miner shares the aftermath of an anti galamsey task force raid on their site. pic.twitter.com/Mpw8xpFEUF

— SIKAOFFICIAL🦍 (@SIKAOFFICIAL1) April 17, 2025