Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel Abu Jinapor says despite being constantly outwitted by illegal mining cartels, the country is still in the fight against illegal mining.
According to him, government will not relent on its efforts in the fight against illegal mining.
He emphasized that Ghana is committed to fighting illegal mining, a commitment which has been demonstrated through various initiatives put in place to safeguard the country’s natural resources, and protect citizens.
“I want to use this opportunity to reaffirm Government’s unflinching commitment to the fight against this canker, which, undoubtedly, threatens our very existence. This commitment, we have demonstrated through several initiatives such as the declaration of water bodies as Red Zones for mining, the suspension of reconnaissance, prospecting, and/or exploration in Forest Reserves, except in exceptional circumstances, the introduction of Operation Halt II with the mandate to decommission equipment used in illegal mining, the ban on the manufacture, sale or dealing in changfans, the introduction of mercury-free Gold Katchas, retooling of the Inspectorate Division of the Minerals Commission, introduction of the National Alternative Employment and Livelihood Programme (NAELP), and the training of judges to ensure strict enforcement of the Minerals and Mining Act, 2006 (Act 703), as amended by Act 995.
Despite these measures, some nation-wreckers, motivated by their own selfish interests, continue to destroy our water bodies and Forest Reserves. We are aware that what we are dealing with is money, and the cartels involved will, always, try to find ways of outwitting us. But we will not relent on our efforts, we will continue to adopt the necessary measures to protect our water bodies, environment and Forest Reserves,” he said at the commissioning of an Ultra-modern office equipped with the latest technology at Bibiani to oversee in the Bibiani/Anhwiaso/Bekwai Municipality of the Western North Region.
The minister expressed appreciation to various groups expressing varying degrees of concerns and well as recommendations for dealing with the illegality.
“The President of the Republic has constituted an Ad Hoc Ministerial Committee, under the Chairmanship of the Minister for National Security, to engage all stakeholders, and to find a common ground to fight this menace. Yesterday, the Committee met with organized labor, and in the coming days, we will engage with other groups of people to ensure that we come to grips with this matter,” he said.
