President John Dramani Mahama has directed the team fighting illegal small-scale mining, popularly known as galamsey to seize excavators instead of destroying them.
President Mahama emphasized the necessity of a methodical strategy that strikes a balance between sustainable mining methods and enforcement.
He made this statement following a visit from Christian Council members to the Jubilee House on Friday, February 21.
He noted that roughly 1.8 million Ghanaians work in small-scale mining, making it a major employment and displacement issue in response to worries about the expanding impact of galamsey.
Although he acknowledged that small-scale mining is permitted, he emphasized that it needs to be done properly to avoid destroying the ecosystem.
According to President Mahama, illegal mining operations have impacted 43 of Ghana’s 280 forest reserves.
He said that efforts to clear these reserves have started, and that excavators and other equipment have recently been removed as a result of an intervention in the Tano Nimri Forest Reserve.
Instead of burning such equipment, which has been criticized in the past, he instructed enforcement teams to seize it going ahead.
“I’ve told them not to burn the excavators. They should confiscate them,” President Mahama stated.
Additionally, he announced the creation of a mobile reinforcement unit to help forestry officials deal with evicted illegal miners who try to return.
President Mahama added that in order to implement more sustainable techniques, he will work with small-scale miners.
President Mahama reaffirmed his dedication to identifying fair solutions that protect natural resources while also protecting the livelihoods of small-scale miners.
KA
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