The Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources has introduced intensive stakeholder sensitization engagement on responsible community mining in the Western Region as a complement to law enforcement against illegal small-scale mining.
Speaking to Newsmen
at one of such engagements attended by small-scale miners, chiefs and other
stakeholders at Bepoh in the Western Region, Deputy Minister of Lands and
Natural Resources in charge of Mines, George Mireku Duker underscored the need
for the initiative.
“The kind of
contribution small-scale mining alone does to the GDP threshold, you would
understand what we want to regularize, but you cannot do that harshly. We are
not against small-scale mining, but we want it to be done responsibly but the
miners have to be educated on the need to collaborate with government”, he
said.
Recently, a
six-member District Mining Committees of Wassa Amenfi East and Wassa Amenfi
West in the Western Region, headed by their respective Chief Executive Officers
was inaugurated.
The Deputy Lands and
Natural Resources Minister said the government will not relent in its effort to
make the galamsey fight a success, and therefore charged the committee members
to show commitment to clamping down on illegal mining.
Representatives of
the newly inaugurated District Mining Committees of Wassa Amenfi East and West
assured the Deputy Minister of their readiness to work towards the protection
of the river bodies by ensuring responsible mining.
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