Host of Newsfile Samson Lardy Anyenini and his guests took another special look at the illegal mining menace and how MMDCEs, regulators and chiefs can help to achieve success in the fight against it.

The discussion took place few days after the Lands and Natural Resources Minister, Samuel Abu Jinapor, outlined new strategic measures being rolled out by government to stem the ‘galamsey’ tide.

Among them were a new licensing regime for all small-scale miners, the re-introduction of the Operation Halt II team to various forest reserves, prosecution of foreigners engaging in illegal mining and others.

Over the week, the discussions about ‘galamsey’ took another interesting twist when it emerged that a former National Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Freddie Blay, is defending four accomplices of Aisha Huang.

Mr Blay came to justify the decision his law firm took, saying the clients are innocent and are not illegal mining as they have been accused.

While some believe it was a wrong move for Mr Blay’s law firm to do that, others share opposing views.

In the special edition of Newsfile, the panelists explored avenues through which stakeholders can tackle the canker once and for all.