You deserve to be shot if you are caught mining on a water body - Joe Wise

Accra, Ghana - October 14, 2024 - Ghana's First Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Joseph Osei-Owusu, has sparked controversy with his proposal to adopt a 'shoot-to-kill' policy to combat illegal mining, known locally as galamsey.

In a recent radio interview, Osei-Owusu advocated for law enforcement to take drastic measures against those caught engaging in galamsey, particularly near water bodies.

“You deserve to be shot if you are caught mining on a water body. There were about 15 changfans with individuals on it at Dunkwa,'' he stated.

“Immediately the patrol team bus arrived to round them all up, they dived into the water. It is difficult to get a hold of them. The best thing to do is to shoot them. The others will be deterred,'' he added.

Galamsey has long plagued Ghana's rural areas, with individuals and groups mining without permits or regard for environmental regulations. The devastating impact includes contaminated river systems, destroyed forests, and concerns over natural resource sustainability.

Osei-Owusu's radical proposal is based on the notion that extreme problems require extreme solutions. However, security analyst Dr. Kwesi Aning has criticized the suggestion, stating it undermines Ghana's human rights reputation and puts the country in a bad light internationally.

This isn't the first time Osei-Owusu has made such a proposal. In 2018, he suggested a similar approach, which was met with backlash from some and support from others, including Majority Leader Osei Kyei Mensah-Bonsu.

Source: Florence Kyei /Lead News Online