Angry Fumso youths arrest galamseyers, hand them and equipment to police

Youth in Fumso, in the Adansi Asokwa District of the Ashanti Region, have interdicted two individuals involved in illegal mining (galamsey) activities in the area.

According to reports shared on X by @eddie_wrt, the youth confiscated the equipment of the illegal miners and subsequently turned both the suspects and the seized items over to police for further investigation.

The activities of galamsey have polluted two water bodies, River Fum and Prakum, in the area, which serve as sources of water for the neighbouring communities.

The level of pollution in the water bodies infuriated the youth to take action to clamp down on galamsey operations after realizing the damage caused by the operators.

Government's fight against galamsey

The Ghanaian government has made significant efforts to combat the pervasive issue of illegal small-scale gold mining. One of the key strategies has been the establishment of regulatory bodies and task forces, such as the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining (IMCIM) and the Operation Vanguard task force, which was launched in 2017.

These entities are tasked with enforcing mining laws and arresting illegal miners. Additionally, the government has introduced community mining programs to provide alternative livelihoods for those involved in galamsey, aiming to formalize small-scale mining activities and ensure they are conducted legally and sustainably¹².

Despite these efforts, the fight against galamsey remains challenging. The lucrative nature of gold mining and socio-economic factors driving individuals to engage in illegal mining have made it difficult to eradicate the practice completely. Media campaigns and public awareness initiatives, such as the #StopGalamseyNow campaign, have been launched to educate the public on the environmental and health impacts of galamsey.

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