Gov’t not against small scale mining

The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources and Member of Parliament (MP) for the Damongo Constituency, Samuel Abu Jinapor, has said President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is not against small scale mining but practices such as mining in river bodies, mining without reclamation and the use of mercury and cyanide.

The minister who is on a five-day working visit to the five Regions of the North added the government is also against irresponsible mining that degrades the environment.

Jinapor admonished the people of Bole and its environs to embrace environmentally friendly mining practices that will benefit everyone.

The Paramount Chief of the Bole Traditional Area Bolewura Sarfo Kutuge Feso (I) in a speech read on his behalf described the MP for Damongo as the beacon of hope for the youth of the Gonja Kingdom.

Bolewura used the opportunity to commend the Damongo MP and President Akufo-Addo for the steps taken in recovering and sustaining the ecosystem of Ghana through the implementation of pragmatic policies such as the Green Ghana and community small scale mining initiative.

He disclosed to the minister that the Bole Traditional Council under his leadership as the Bolewura has ordered the removal of all mining equipment from the Black Volta and currently has no single mining equipment in water bodies of the Bole Traditional Area.

The Bolewura appealed to the minister to look into a land dispute between Gonjas and Bandas since the Banda people persistently continue to issue threats and illegal claims of ownership of certain lands of Gonja Kingdom (Dokochina).