George Mireku Duker, the deputy minister for lands and natural resources, has dismissed recent calls for an outright ban on all small-scale mining operations, calling them misguided.
While acknowledging the harm illegal mining causes to the environment, Mr. Duker argued against a complete ban on the industry during the commissioning of the Meretweso Community Mining Scheme in the Upper Denkyira East Municipality of the Central Region on September 12, 2024.
The minister stressed the necessity for tailored steps to address these issues rather than an absolute prohibition on all small-scale mining activities, even as she denounced the pollution of important water bodies brought on by illegal mining.
“Yes, people are destroying our water bodies; there are measures we need to take to clamp down on recalcitrants who are destroying our water bodies, and I agree with them perfectly… But I am against it,” Mr. Duker said.
“Personally, I am against the call for a ban on mining generally. You can’t ban mining. Why must you ban mining?” he added.
In response to professional organisations’ pleas for President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to impose an immediate a ban on all small-scale mining because of the massive environmental damage that illegal mining operations inflict, he made his remarks.
Mr. Duker maintained that it would be unwise to ban small-scale mining.
“It is misdirected because I was expecting them to have condemned the statement made by His Excellency the former President Mahama before even calling for this action. You can’t just, out of the blue, say put a ban. Ban on what?” he questioned.
Source: Graphic Online
