A five-member ad hoc ministerial committee has been set up to engage stakeholders to evaluate the government’s ongoing efforts to combat illegal mining, also known as galamsey.
This comes on the instruction of the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
The committee will be chaired by the National Security Minister, Albert Kan-Dapaah, assisted by four other ministers.
The four others are Lands and Natural Resources Minister Samuel Abu Jinapor, Defense Minister Dominic Nitiwul, Employment Minister Ignatius Baffour Awuah, and Information Minister Fatimatu Abubakar.
The committee will assess the current strategies and policies aimed at halting galamsey activities and recommend any necessary reforms to strengthen the government’s efforts.
Additionally, they will examine the challenges faced by law enforcement agencies and local authorities in their fight against illegal mining.
The statement is coming at a time when there is a general call to ban small-scale mining because of its devastating impact on water bodies.
Illegal mining, popularly referred to as galamsey, has been a major issue in Ghana, with recent reports by the media indicating that the practice has led to the destruction of several rivers, including River Ankobra, River Bia, River Pra, and River Tano.
The government has taken several steps to eradicate illegal mining, but the problem persists due to the high demand for gold and other precious minerals.
Recently, Ghana Water Limited (GWL) announced severe water supply challenges in Cape Coast, Elmina, and surrounding communities due to galamsey activities in the Pra River.
In a statement, GWL explained that water sources have been polluted beyond reasoning limits, affecting processing and distribution for domestic and industrial use.
Below is the statement.
