Shoot to maim illegal miners if ‘shoot to kill’ is opposed – Kwame Jantuah

Legal practitioner and Convention People's Party member Nana Kwame Jantuah has suggested that security operatives should shoot to maim illegal miners instead of shooting to kill in order to curb the menace of galamsey. Jantuah argues that a drastic approach like this is necessary to stop illegal mining, which has led to excessive contamination of rivers in Ghana, including the River Birim. This statement comes after human rights activists objected to Jantuah's earlier call for a "shoot to kill" approach to end galamsey.

In a disturbing video taken by Joseph Ackah-Blay from TV3's NewDay show on September 25, 2026, Jantuah explained that if Ghanaians do not want to shoot to kill, they should consider shooting to maim. He believes that the fear of being maimed would deter people from engaging in illegal mining activities. Jantuah also questioned why the government cannot impose a two to three-year ban on small-scale mining to properly restructure the sector.

He suggests that banning small-scale mining for this period could solve the problem, rather than giving up as the NPP did.

Jantuah points out that the turbidity levels in the Birim River have reached up to 75,000 NTU, making it impossible to restart the Kyebi water treatment plant. He adds that Ackah-Blay, who visited the affected areas, observed that some illegal miners have resorted to hiding their activities by mounting roofing sheets by the roadside, while mining continues openly despite reports to the police and security operatives, even in front of a police station.