The United Cadres Front (UCF), an affiliate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has condemned attacks on the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) and called on the Government to adopt what it described as a “shoot to protect” approach, rather than a “shoot to kill” strategy, in the fight against illegal mining.
Speaking during the 44th Anniversary celebration of the 31st December Revolution in Ada on Wednesday, December 31, UCF Chairman Shine Gaveh expressed concern over the growing menace and lamented the complicity or silence of some traditional leaders, security personnel, and faith-based organisations in allowing illegal mining to continue.
“Our chiefs, state actors, security personnel, civil and faith-based organisations, political party functionaries, and communities are either complicit or implicit in the immoral act of illegal mining. The shameless fact is that those who have been commissioned to join NAIMOS and allied agencies to bring this existential threat to a close are callously being attacked by visibly organised gangs with impunity,” he said.
“As the Commander-in-Chief of the Ghana Armed Forces, we urge the President of the Republic to take the most decisive onslaught beyond the seeming complacency on the recalcitrant galamseyers. We are not calling for ‘shoot to kill,’ but rather ‘shoot to protect’ our forest reserves and rivers,” Gaveh added.
He further cautioned ministers of state, heads of departments, and chief executives of state agencies to exercise restraint and decorum in their public comments.
“There seems to be a rush to respond to any deliberate or unholy agenda set by the micro minority and other anti-state elements to attract public ridicule of government appointees. We therefore caution that the Ministers of State, Heads of Departments, and Agencies weigh their public discourses to prevent the hawks from diving on chickens,” he warned.