Defence minister Dominic Nitiwul has talked up the possibility of ending more than a decade-old menace of illegal mining in two months.

The Bimbilla MP said the joint cooperation of traditional rulers, the government and the military can put a stop to the menace in record time.

"When the chiefs decide that we are stopping galamsey with the security forces, two months and I believe there will not be a single case of galamsey in Ghana"

He was speaking at a two-day sensitization summit in Accra where four ministers lined up to explain to chiefs, government's "thoughts, strategy and thinking" to stop illegal mining.

The running theme for all three speakers was that without the support of the chiefs, the toe-stepping fight will fail.

The President crowned the interaction with a fiery extempore delivery rallying the chiefs to join an aggressive government bandwagon to reclaim environmental control over resource-rich mining areas.

But before he spoke, the Bimbilla MP 'rapped' the chiefs.

"You are going to lead the sucess story because you know where the galamsey is taking place. In fact you are our intelligence"

The Defence minister Dominic Nitiwul revealed, soldiers have been dispatched to over 20 areas to provide support for an anti-galamsey taskforce.

He said a roll-out of troops will be heading to sites as government enters the second phase of the 4-month old fight.

The minister assured, this fight will not be a nine-day wonder but will be sustained until the "rivers are like how they used to be when God gave them to us."

While his ministry prepares to put boots on the ground, the Defence minister pleaded with the chiefs to cooperate with the soliders because "they are there to work with you"

He said the army expects minimal confrontation when they start the next phase.