Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Hon. Joseph Osei Owusu, has reaffirmed his controversial stance, urging security agencies to adopt a shoot-to-kill approach against individuals caught engaging in illegal mining, commonly known as galamsey.
His remarks come amidst mounting calls from civil society and the public to curb the environmental destruction caused by illegal mining activities.
Speaking on Accra-based Asaase Pa radio, Hon. Osei Owusu, who is also the Member of Parliament for Bekwai, recounted his experience at a mining site where miners were flagrantly violating their prospecting permits.
“I visited one illegal mining site where they claimed to have a prospecting license, but what they had dug was well beyond their legal bounds. They had destroyed vast areas without proper authorisation.
In such cases, when they are shot, what is wrong? Once we catch you destroying our rivers, we must kill you,” he said.
This is not the first time Osei Owusu has made such a suggestion. In 2018, he voiced a similar call, advocating for extreme measures against galamsky operators, citing the difficulty in apprehending them.
According to him, illegal miners often evade arrest by fleeing into rivers when security forces arrive, making it nearly impossible to enforce the law.
“During Operation Galamstop, when soldiers arrive, the miners dive into the water and swim away. How do you arrest such people? The only solution is to deploy snipers and shoot them,” he added.
Despite opposition to his views, Osei Owusu remains convinced that the shoot-to-kill policy is a viable deterrent against the destructive practice, arguing that those who mine on water bodies are “wicked” and deserving of such harsh penalties.