Time to involve cybersecurity in galamsey fight

Nana Kweku Ofori Atta, Managing Director Avcontech Limited Opinion Oct - 03 - 2022 , 12:27

The President of the Republic of Ghana, His Excellency Nana Addo Danquah Akufo-Addo has put his presidency on the line to ensure that illegal mining (galamsey) comes to an end yet, it is still ongoing, which means that there is a problem somewhere.

The government in its own wisdom formed a task force with the military and the police to put a stop to this illegal mining saga which even caused the death of the late Major Mahama of blessed memory (not to remind the bereaved family of their pain).

Despite all these measures put in place, the saga is still ongoing. It is about time we involved security experts who are into serious cybersecurity surveillance networking to solve this crisis that is causing the environmental degradation and pollution of our lands and water bodies.

I suggest to the government, with all humility to involve technocrats who are into security surveillance networking to secure our waters, lands and mining areas with hidden surveillance monitoring devices.

These devices will be linked with the systems of the national security, military and police from the district, regional and national levels for 24/7 monitoring rather than putting the lives of innocent security personnel who are not well equipped in danger.

I believe the battle line needs to be drawn with an immediate effect to negotiate with various chiefs in these areas by law, to ensure that there is discipline restored to secure our natural resources without any fear or favour.

Let us not forget as a nation that we all drink from these same rivers through the Ghana Water Company Limited or through other bottling companies.

I think the government needs to rethink and negotiate with technocrats and use surveillance systems instead of human beings.

We are in a technological era and we must take advantage of that to secure the nation and its citizens immediately. I am pleading with the government officials who are allegedly partaking in this illegal mining act to put a stop to it.