Just four days after the government’s Operation Halt launched a decongestion exercise to clear out illegal miners, the Birim River at Anyinam has returned to its polluted and brownish state. This is a disappointing setback in the fight against galamsey, the local term for illegal mining activities that have ravaged Ghana’s water bodies.

To tackle this issue, the government deployed over 100 armed military personnel to various water bodies, including the Birim River. On October 10, the military, in collaboration with the Ghana National Association of Small-Scale Miners, seized and burned three changfan machines on the riverbanks. This action was part of a broader effort to rid Ghana’s water bodies of illegal mining activities.

The military-led task force had earlier made progress in combating galamsey, destroying 10 changfans, a pistol, and eight water-pumping machines on the Pra River in the Central Region on October 11. However, the resurgence of illegal mining activities on the Birim River highlights the need for sustained efforts to protect Ghana’s water sources.

The ongoing struggle against galamsey underscores the importance of continued vigilance and cooperation between government agencies, local communities, and stakeholders to safeguard Ghana’s natural resources.