The President of the National Concerned Small-Scale Miners Association, Michael Kwadwo Peprah, has urged the government to avoid adopting strategies used by the previous administration in the fight against illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey.

Speaking on Asempa FM’s Ekosii Sen show, Mr. Peprah said galamsey worsened over the past eight years despite several interventions, including the deployment of drones, the introduction of the GalamStop programme, military operations, and even a ban on small-scale mining.

He stressed the need for fresh and effective measures, noting that small-scale miners are optimistic about meaningful reforms under the current government.

“The past eight years have seen an increase in galamsey activities. We hope that this new government will be able to address the issue. My suggestion is that we should not repeat the same actions as before and expect different results. The previous government implemented initiatives such as drones and GalamStop, but none were fruitful.

“The military approach also proved ineffective. Even the ban on small-scale mining did not achieve the desired outcome. Using the previous administration’s failed strategies will not lead to positive results. I hope this government adopts a different approach. If it is considering a new strategy, there is nothing wrong with that,” he said.