A retired media practitioner based in Tarkwa, Toni Nkrumah-Boateng, has cautioned against the deployment of the military to combat illegal mining in the Western Region, warning that such a move could cripple the entire local economy.
His remarks follow an announcement by the Minister of State in charge of Government Communications and MP for Abura-Asebu-Kwamankese, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, that the government will permanently station the military in all areas affected by illegal mining.
“All the 44 areas that are threatened by galamsey, there is going to be a permanent military presence,” he disclosed
Mr Nkrumah-Boateng argued that mining—both legal and illegal—has become so entrenched in Tarkwa and surrounding communities that military intervention would effectively shut down the town.
“Getting the military to Tarkwa to fight galamsey is going to be very difficult. The economy has been tailored in such a way that it is so dependent on mining activities,” he said.
He explained that illegal mining is visible everywhere in the enclave, stretching from Tarkwa through Nsuaso to Bonso, and has become the dominant source of livelihood.
“If you want to bring in military men, then you will have to shut the whole town down,” he cautioned.
“There are mining organisations here in Tarkwa, but how many people can they employ at a time. A lot of the people who do not have access to the mines also have to live, and that is the activities they have been involved in.”
Mr. Nkrumah-Boateng’s remarks come as the impact of galamsey continues to bite hard, with Tarkwa’s only water treatment plant shut down for a month due to heavy pollution, forcing residents to rely on costly private water providers.
He warned that while the environmental devastation is alarming, the heavy reliance of the local economy on mining makes the issue far more complex than a military solution.
