Ghanaian statesman Dr Nyaho Nyaho-Tamakloe has stated emphatically that the military is capable of ending the devastating illegal mining menace in just a week but for political interference.

Discussions about the effects of illegal mining have been reignited following a recent JoyNews documentary titled ‘Poisoned Rivers’ which highlighted the seriousness of river pollution as a result of ‘galamsey’.

A recent report by The Fourth Estate has also named some government officials and politically exposed persons who are seeking permits to mine in Ghana’s forest reserves including protected areas.

The Ghana Water Company(GWCL) has also announced that it is struggling to treat water for several communities due to the negative impact of ‘galamsey’ on rivers that are treated for distribution.

The GWCL and others have warned that Ghana may soon be compelled to start importing water on a large scale if nothing is done about the Galamsey menace.

Speaking on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show on Monday, September 9, Dr Nyaho-Tamakloe blamed the menace on the failure of political leadership under the current regime.

“I agree entirely. The Military has leadership and if they’re given that task without the influence of politicians, I can assure you they will finish this within one week. If they’re told this is the task; stop it, I can assure you within one week they will stop it.

“But where you have leaders within the political parties and the groupings using a section of the military; [it becomes difficult],” he said.

He however noted that the Ghana Armed Forces(GAF) on any day would have halted the canker, but cannot do the same now due to the high political interest.

“The military has changed just like politics in this country. It has changed. Politics formally, at least the one that I saw, we had leaders with integrity. We don’t have them now. You have politicians who had feelings for the ordinary person, we don’t have them now.

“The leadership we have in politics now are the leaders who come to steal; physical stealing. The same with the military. In the military years back when they were given a task, you could be sure they would do it,” he added.

He said this in response to a call by the Ghana Water Company MD that the ‘galamsey’ fight ought to be put directly under the Chief of Defense staff for the military to handle it.

Dr Nyaho-Tamakloe blamed the changes in the military largely on political interference, especially through what has become known as protocol recruitment into the service.

“The Military itself has been so politicized now. When we’re recruiting people into the army now it has become a protocol list. It never existed when I was in the army. The Military gave directives and recruitment is done in every region of the country.

“The so-called protocol list has totally destroyed the security service in this country and we’re all sitting down looking,” he lamented.