Lack of Prosecution Hindering Galamsey Fight – Operation Vanguard

Commander of the anti-galamsey security taskforce, Operation Vanguard, Colonel Nortey, says lack of prosecution is hindering the fight against galamsey.

According to him, only five per cent of over 2,700 illegal miners arrested have been convicted which is thwarting the effort of the taskforce.

“Prosecution has been the weakest link in this fight; we have arrested many people but the prosecutions have been few because the court processes are slow.

“So they are granted bail with the cases adjourned and they are still in the field mining because they are not bothered,” he lamented.

Speaking in an interview with Luv FM, Colonel Nortey said the taskforce most of the time re-arrest miners who are standing trial in court.

“We will propose the establishment of a fast track process and will also need military kind of drones on the water bodies to be able to pick coordinates of where these dredgers are,” he said.

Colonel Nortey further appealed to chiefs and community leaders to make laws to punish illegal miners responsible for the destruction in their areas.