The Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Digital Centres Limited (GDCL), Christine Ansong, has described as disingenuous claims that the government has done little or nothing to address the menace of illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey.

Ms. Ansong argued that the current National Democratic Congress (NDC) administration has demonstrated strong political will and strategic coordination in tackling the problem, a clear departure from what she called the “years of neglect and complicity” under the previous New Patriotic Party (NPP) government.

She cited the establishment of the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) in June 2025 as one of the key interventions under President Mahama’s leadership. The Secretariat coordinates anti-galamsey operations across all 16 regions and monitors enforcement using a national command center.

Ms. Ansong also pointed to the creation of the Blue Water Guards, a specialized unit under the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources tasked with protecting rivers and water bodies. Over 900 officers have already been trained under the initiative, with more recruitments planned to strengthen coverage.

“Under NAIMOS and the Blue Water Initiative, illegal mining equipment has been seized and destroyed, and several sites in forest reserves and along rivers have been shut down,” she said, emphasizing that the results are visible across many mining districts.

The GDCL Deputy CEO insisted that while the work is ongoing, progress must be acknowledged. “Saying government has done nothing is unfair and dishonest. The truth is, this administration inherited a galamsey crisis that was allowed to fester for eight years,” she stated.

Ms. Ansong called for sustained collaboration between government agencies, communities, and the private sector, stressing that success in the fight against galamsey will depend on closing the gap between policy and practice through continuous enforcement and local participation.