The Ghanaian government has formally designated the nation’s rivers and forest reserves as security zones in an attempt to stop illegal mining, or galamsey, which continues to destroy natural resources and water bodies.
Illegal mining has long been a problem, and governments have had difficulty putting long-term fixes in place. Under pressure to confront the threat, the administration of President John Dramani Mahama has implemented a number of policies to stop the practice.
Engineer Frank Pedro Asare, National Coordinator for the Responsible Cooperative Mining and Skills Development Programme (COMSDEP), revealed on Adom FM’s Burning Issues that rivers and forests have been officially designated as security zones by a Cabinet resolution headed by the President.
He clarified that in order to carry out the command, military and other security forces will henceforth be positioned inside forest reserves and along riverbanks permanently.
Only authorized large-scale miners with valid leases will be allowed access. Engineer Asare emphasized that the action was required because some illegal miners return to sites within days of taskforce raids.
He reiterated that Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, and his office are still totally dedicated to putting a stop to Galamsey without making any concessions.