The Chiefs and residents of Beppo, a mining group within the Prestea Huni Valley Municipality of the Western Region have assured of their resounding and unflinching help to the fight towards illegal mining following an in depth and fruitful engagement with the Deputy Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Hon. George Mireku Duker.
The assurance which was conveyed by the Tufuhene, Nana Bretuo II follows a dispassionate name made on them by the Deputy Minister for Lands and Natural Resources in cost of Mines, Hon. George Mireku Duker.
In an deal with throughout a Stakeholders Sensitization Engagement towards illegal Mining occasion on Wednesday, October 26, 2022, Hon. Mireku Duker evoked the sense of communism and nationalism within the conventional authorities and residents towards galamsey.
Making reference to the destruction of the group’s river by galamsey operations which is a tributary of thr Ankobra River, Hon. Mireku Duker protested that the bigger group should not bear the brunt of the grasping few and thus need the residents to stand up towards illegal mining.
He sensitized them on the dangerous results of galamsey and appealed to them to declare zero tolerance for illegal mining.
Hon. Duker defined to the group that the 1992 structure has empowered them to arrest all individuals whose actions are detrimental to the group and the nation and that point has come for the group to arrest illegal miners whose actions are inflicting irreparable injury to the surroundings.
He due to this fact referred to as the chiefs and residents to motion whiles pleading with them to guarantee an instantaneous finish to all types of illegal mining actions.
The Tarkwa Nsuaem MP clarified that the Akufo-Addo authorities is just not towards small-scale mining however needs to purge the sector of dangerous practices in view of the employment alternatives it gives to Ghanaians.
He mentioned authorities has a quantity of various livelihood sources obtainable to individuals who choose out of illegal mining.
“Because of greed, we’re destroying our nation and our future. It’s a disgrace. It’s a disgrace that some of our chiefs have sat aloof for our river right here to get destroyed. It’s unhappy and shameful. Because of gold, we’re destroying the river that feeds into the Ankobra. We should all be accountable.
“Large-scale mining firms in Ghana make use of about 30,000 folks however small-scale make use of about a million Ghanaians so I’m fully towards banning small-scale mining. My authorities can also be towards banning small-scale mining. What is essential is that we mine responsibly and defend it in order that it helps us and doesn’t kill us.
“If our chiefs and the general public agree to resist any form of illegal mining, there is no way anyone can do it. Our constitution permits citizen arrests. You don’t have to be a police officer to arrest someone who is doing something harmful to the country. We all have to come together and agree that irresponsible small-scale mining must stop now. Let’s all do this for our community and the country,” he mentioned.
The Chief Inspector of Mines on the Minerals Commission, Mr. Kofi Adjei educated the general public on the dire penalties of illegal mining. He highlighted the well being, financial and social impacts galamsey pose to the nation and preached towards it.
The Municipal Chief Executive of the world, Hon. Isaac Dasmani recommended the chiefs and residents for welcoming the enchantment by the Deputy Minister and the federal government and charged them to observe what he mentioned.
