Some of the participants
The military has expressed concern over the growing circulation and use of illegal and improvised weapons within remote and contested mining zones.
According to the military, field engagements and institutional perspectives indicate that miners, syndicates, and associated protection networks increasingly rely on armed deterrence.
The situation, the military said, has contributed to the gradual militarisation of mining spaces, where the implicit or explicit threat of violence becomes a routine mechanism for maintaining territorial control.
This came to light at the official opening of the Western Regional Validation and Dialogue Workshop on Safety and Security Ecosystem of Illegal mining in Takoradi.
The event was organised by the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC) and funded by the Spanish Embassy.
The workshop formed part of KAIPTC’s ongoing efforts to promote informed dialogue, strengthen policy responses, and enhance collaboration among key stakeholders in addressing the safety and security implications of illegal mining in the country.
The validation process brought together policymakers, security and regulatory institutions, development partners, and civil society leaders.
KAIPTC Commandant, Air Vice Marshal David Anetey Akrong, noted that the field engagements across districts and communities in the Western Region revealed that many communities find themselves caught between the immediate need for income and survival, and the long term consequences of environmental damage caused by illegal mining.
He said of particular concern in parts of the region was the growing link between illegal mining and the circulation of illegal and improvised weapons.
He indicated that the presence of illegal weapons heightens the immediate risk of violent confrontation and loss of life.
“Our engagements pointed to a gradual shift in some areas towards more securitised mining spaces, where the threat or use of force has become a means of securing access to land, and deterring both rival groups and state intervention,” he said.
He noted that the complexity of the challenges in the Western Region demand a sustained collaboration across institutions, communities, and development partners.
“This should be guided by a shared vision of safety, accountability, and inclusive development”, he stressed.
The Western Regional Minister, Joseph Nelson, admitted that the presence of guns in the mining zones is real.
“Soldiers keep on retrieving guns from the galamsey area. But we should deal with the situation particularly as Ghana is surrounded by countries where extremists are using guns to kill,” he noted.
The Spanish Ambassador to Ghana, Angel Lossada Torres-Quevedo pledged that his government would continue to offer the requisite support to help curb the illegal mining menace.
From Emmanuel Opoku, Takoradi