Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, has admitted that Ghana’s fight against illegal mining popularly known as galamsey is difficult.
According to the Lands Minister, there are significant challenges facing the government’s fight against illegal mining.
He, however, stressed that the government will not relent ot surrender in the fight against galamsey.
The Lands Minister described illegal mining as one of the greatest environmental threats facing Ghana.
Speaking at the Government Accountability Series on Wednesday, July 15, the minister stated, “The fight against illegal mining is a defining environmental battle that our generation must fight. Our rivers are not for sale, our forests are not expendable, our mineral wealth is a sacred inheritance that we have a duty to protect. The era of impunity is over, and the government will continue to pursue everyone who profits from the destruction of our environment.
“The battle against illegal mining is difficult, but the Ghanaian spirit is stronger. We will not retreat, we will not relent, and we will not surrender, but we shall reclaim our rivers, restore our forests, protect our natural wealth and secure a greener, stronger and more prosperous Ghana for posterity.”
He further added that over 200 galamsey suspects have been arrested in six months.
“In the last six months, we arrested 258 suspects, demobilised six excavators, 1,225 pumping machines were seized, we demobilised 765 Changfan machines, we destroyed 35 tricycles, motorbikes that were seized were 212, structures destroyed 430, and gold detectors that were seized were 40. All these in the forest reserves alone,” Armah-Kofi Buah noted.
“And I’m happy to say that today I’m not here to tell you about red zones, because we have not had any red zone, which means that government supporting the Forestry Commission is firmly in control of our forests,” he said.
In related news, Joseph Nelson, the Western Regional Minister, has urged residents of Samreboi to join the government’s fight to combat illegal mining activities (galamsey).
The Western Regional Minister called on the Samreboi residents to help the government combat illegal mining along the River Tano and the River Samre to help avert flooding in the area.
Joseph Nelson made this known during a visit to affected communities where more than 1,340 residents were displaced by recent floods.
Speaking during a visit to affected communities, the Western Regional Minister stated, “For the long-term solution, we will need everybody to come on board. It is not going to be the effort of the government alone.
Together we have to stand up against illegal mining, especially on our river bodies. As we stand here, you cannot even quantify the extent of damage in this community; property and even money.
How do we avoid these things? We can only avoid them if we take a firm decision. That decision the government has already taken, but we will need the support of everybody,” he said.
He further assured affected residents of government support as efforts continue to respond to the flooding crisis.
Joseph Nelson highlighted that the residents’ cooperation in the fight against illegal mining will be critical to help safeguard property and livelihoods.
@ghnow_ 🚨 🇬🇭 “All the cocoa trees are dead. We’ll cut them down and turn the land into a galamsey site,” an illegal miner reportedly said while showing an abandoned cocoa farm. #GHNow #fyp ♬ original sound – GHnow
@ghnow_ “When Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh said Nana Addo wanted to challenge Kwame Nkrumah, i thought it was a joke.” – Ghanaian
♬ original sound – GHnow
