Hon. Benito Owusu-Bio
In a passionate attraction to Regional and District Forest Mangers in llegal mining endemic areas, Hon. Benito Owusu-Bio, the Deputy Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, answerable for Lands and Forestry charged the officers of the Forestry Commission to rise up and join the fight against unlawful mining as he famous that the menace is step by step creeping into the nation’s Forest Reserves.
He lamented saying “the days of illegal mining menace being a challenge on only waterbodies and lands are over, now it is gradually getting into the Forest Reserves and if we do not rise up now, tomorrow may be too late. We must rise up to ensure that the forests are protected from this canker”
This assembly held in Kumasi on Friday, 14th October, 2022, follows the President of the Republic’s name on all stakeholders to take up energetic roles and marshall efforts to assist central authorities within the fight against the unlawful mining menace (galamsey).
Hon. Benito in his deal with suggested the managers to maneuver out of their consolation zones and places of work to the sphere and join forest rangers if needed as all efforts are wanted to make sure that the forests usually are not swallowed up within the unlawful mining menace.
He warned that authorities and the Ministry is not going to settle for the reasons some managers give being “I am not aware of this”, indicating strongly that strict sanctions might be meted out to mangers in whose Districts or Regions turns to have illegalities with out their data.
He subsequently inspired the managers to report no matter they see of their Districts and Regions with out concern or favour and promised the assist of presidency to assist them obtain thier purpose of defending the Forest Reserves and it environs.
The Deputy Minister famous that authorities is conscious of the challenges that constrains their work however with or with out challenges “we must utilise the little we have for now and work diligently to reverse the old-aged galamsey”
Hon. Owusu-Bio reiterated that authorities has not issued any prospecting allow or licence for any Small Scale Mining business by any means, not even for the Community Mining Schemes and “so any form of mining ongoing in a Forest Reserve that is not a large scale like that of Newmont and Chirano Mines, is illegal and must be stopped”. He identified.
Speaking to the media after the assembly with the mangers, the Deputy Lands and Forestry Minister known as on all and sundry to assist in the fight against the menace saying “it is no longer a matter of this is for government, it concerns all of us and so if you see something, say something” whereas he inspired them to name the Ministry’s contact centre with any data relating to those illegalities.
Mr. John Allotey in his assertion disclosed that the Commission is contemplating the setting up of a Mining Unit underneath the Forestry Service Division to assist coordinate and collate data regarding mining within the numerous Forest Reserves throughout the nation who might be devoted and all the time prepared with actual-time data on the Reserves.
He additionally introduced that there’ll quickly be a rise within the duties of the Rapid Response Team because the Military attachees have been withdrawn, charging them to beef up their actions to enrich the obligations forward.
He indicated that unlawful mining makes extra devastating influence than the unlawful logging they’re acquainted with and subsequently a extra drastic method should be deviced as well it out of the system.
“Unlike illegal logging that takes away essential tree species which can regenerate after some time, illegal mining makes more devastating effects, it takes off the trees and the top soil that could aid replanting or regeneration, the land is destroyed and it goes all the way to affect our waterbodies. Additionally, we also have to contend with people who are armed so that is obviously worse and therefore the strategy mush change”
He additionally urged the managers to work collaboratively with the Traditional authorities, District Chief Executives and the Regional Ministers as they embark on consultative conferences all in efforts to keep away from lapses and encourage efficient movement of knowledge in order that nobody is ignored.
Mr. Allotey additionally implored the managers to collaborate with the Minerals Commission and report suspected circumstances of unlawful mining wether within the Forest Reserves or exterior the Reserves for coordinates to be taken and additional actions utilized.