EASTERN REGIONAL COORDINATING COUNCIL HOST STUDENTS OF GHANA ARMED FORCES AND STAFF COLLEGE

The Eastern Regional Coordinating Council (ERCC) hosted Students from Ghana Armed Forces Command and Staff College who were on a four-day study tour of the region from Monday 14th November 2022 to Thursday, 17th November 2022.
The theme for the Regional Study Tour was “Illegal Mining (Galamsey) and the Socio-Economic Impact on Communities: Optimizing Gains and Mitigating the Wider Security Implication”.

In his welcome address, the Honourable Eastern Regional Minister, Mr. Seth Kwame Acheampong commended the Management of the Ghana Armed Forces Command and Staff College for putting together the Environmental study tour as part of the training programme of the students, adding that upon completion, the trainee would be equipped with practical experience to enhance their capacity to be able to discharge their duties effectively and efficiently.
The Chairman of the Regional Security Council ( REGSEC), the Hon. Regional Minister acknowledged the current situation with regard to the Galamsey or illegal mining, its undesired socio-economic impact on affected communities, and described it as a major security threat to the Region and the country at large.

“Apart from the massive destruction of arable farmlands, cocoa farms, forests and water bodies brought about by galamsey activities, experts have warned that if nothing is done, as soon as possible, to halt the menace, the time is fast approaching when Ghana would no longer be able to treat her water bodies for human consumption and may have to import potable water” he noted.
He assured the students that Government would continue to fight the Galamsey menace regardless of its political ramifications and commended the military for the crucial role it continues to play in combating the menace which he indicated that “OPERATION VANGUARD”, “OPERATION HALT I” and “OPERATION HALT II”, have resulted in achieving some positives.
Giving the concluding remarks at the debriefing ceremony to see the students off, Hon. Acheampong indicated that their findings and recommendations would be factored into the regional strategic plans being implemented to deal with the menace.
He, therefore, thanked them for bringing new findings to bear and also confirming the already established issues in illegal mining activities.
The Commandant of the Ghana Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Rear Admiral Moses Beick-Baffour indicated that the choice of the topic for this year was necessitated by the fact that galamsey and its negative impact has become a major topical issue in the public discourse.
He stated unequivocally that posterity would not forgive the current generation if nothing was done to salvage the situation which has degenerated to threaten the very foundation of human existence.

Briefing the Regional Minister, the leader of the team Col. Mantey indicated that after touring some selected mining districts and galamsey site, the entire research students became depressed about the current state of the river bodies and the forest reserve and stated that “ if we joke with our future; our future will joke with us”.
The research project of the school was carried out by 85 students, 26 of whom were from 12 African countries including Nigeria, South Africa, Cote d’Ivoire, Togo, etc., and was conducted in four regions; Eastern, Bono, Upper West, and Central Region.