Founder and leader of the Movement for Change, Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen, says he will impose a one-year ban on small-scale mining if he wins the December 7 polls.
According to him, the prohibition will ensure that all machinery and equipment used for mining activities will be immobilised.
“I will make sure they are moved into a storage preservation environment and I am proposing that the field engineer’s management of the armed forces will be responsible for that,” he said.
According to Mr Kyerematen, during the one-year ban, the government will use advanced technology to restore all affected water bodies.
He further outlined plans to create new opportunities for young people displaced by the mining halt.
“There is going to be a period where all the degraded lands will be restored and that in itself is a major commercial activity, which the young people engaged in galamsey will have the opportunity of being part of the restoration.
“Within that one-year period, the government will also support the young people to establish their own mining companies. They will be provided with machinery and equipment which will be used in a sustainable way. Right now, if you look at the implements they use, obviously it is not the kind of instruments they should use for mining,” he said on Joy News.
Mr Kerematen’s pledge comes 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 deal with 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.