Security Analyst Adib Saani has issued a passionate plea for a more aggressive approach to combatting galamsey, likening it to the fight against terrorism.
He emphasized that galamsey is not only a physical issue but also an environmental and emotional one, which demands urgent attention.
Speaking on ABC in the Morning, Saani voiced his disagreement with organized labour’s decision to suspend their nationwide strike against galamsey, warning that it poses a national security threat.
“This is not just physical terrorism; it is environmental terrorism. It is emotional terrorism. And so we need to approach the fight as if we are fighting terrorism,” he stated.
Saani urged the government to adopt stringent accountability measures in its ongoing efforts to curb galamsey.
He stressed that ensuring transparency and preventing complicity, particularly in the military’s involvement in Operation Halt, are critical steps to tackling the menace.
“For me, the way to deal with this is accountability,” he added, calling for zero tolerance for military personnel who might abuse their position in the fight against illegal mining.
