Professor Christopher Gordon, former Director of the Institute for Environment and Sanitation Studies at the University of Ghana, has rejected calls to authorize security forces to shoot and kill illegal miners as a method to curb galamsey.
His remarks come in response to Deputy Speaker of Parliament Joseph Osei Owusu’s recent advocacy for empowering security agencies to use lethal force against individuals involved in illegal mining. Osei Owusu’s stance highlights the devastation caused by galamsey, spurring calls from both citizens and civil society to ban small-scale mining entirely.
Addressing attendees at the Achimota Speaks event in Accra on Wednesday, November 13, Professor Gordon argued against lethal measures, such as killing is not an effective or humane solution to the problem.
Instead, he emphasized that Ghana’s human capital must be preserved, advocating for sustainable measures to address illegal mining and its impact on communities and the environment.
“I have seen many comments that we should shoot to kill. And I’m saying shoot to kill is not an option. It is not an option, do not remove part of your human capital by killing them. It doesn’t make sense. This is an issue of values and honour.”
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