Acting Chief Executive Officer of the EPA, Prof. Nana Ama Klutse, made this declaration during an interview on Channel One TV on April 1.

She emphasized the agency’s unwavering mission to protect Ghana’s environment amid rising concerns over illegal mining, also known as galamsey.

“We will focus on our mandate to protect the environment and coordinate all activities that affect it. We need to protect the environment no matter who is involved, whether legally or illegally. So for us, we are focused on our mandate,” Prof. Klutse stated.

While the EPA actively monitors environmental activities, she noted that the agency also acts on reports from communities and companies regarding illegal mining operations.

“So far, we have not received any complaints about politicians being involved in illegal mining. However, the EPA, apart from conducting its monitoring, also responds to complaints. If we receive reports from communities or companies, we take the necessary action, including prosecuting offenders who violate compliance regulations.”

Prof. Klutse assured Ghanaians that political figures found engaging in illegal mining will face the full force of the law.

“If any politician is involved in illegal mining, and we get hold of the person, we will still apply the law as we would to any other Ghanaian,” she affirmed.

Her comments come at a time when illegal mining continues to devastate Ghana’s environment, causing deforestation, water pollution, and land degradation. Despite the EPA’s efforts, she acknowledged that illegal miners are often heavily armed and sometimes attack monitoring teams.

“We don’t have so many human resources at the EPA to do this work. Only a few of us are out there doing the monitoring. The illegal miners are fully armed, and they attack state authorities when they go around to monitor. We have had staff from the Forestry Commission, police, and even military men suffering these attacks.”

To enhance the fight against illegal mining, Prof. Klutse emphasized the importance of engaging local communities in dialogue and collaborative efforts.

“But we believe that if we go on the dialogue way by getting the community along to fight on our behalf or help in the fight, we should achieve more than we are doing now. It looks like there are more illegal miners than the state institutions or the people who are fighting or controlling it.

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