President John Dramani Mahama has warned his government’s appointees against mining in any way or risk being sent out. “I’ve ordered that no government staffer, regardless of rank, participate in any kind of mining, whether it be legitimate or illegal.
He made this statement at the opening of a land restoration project in Nkawie, Atwima Nwabiagya South Municipality: “If you want to be a miner, leave government and go and be a miner.”
The audience roared in support of his strong position against illegal mining when he declared that no appointee could serve in his government and be a miner at the same time.
The President emphasized that any appointee found to be in violation of the directive would be subject to immediate and severe consequences, including termination from their position.
One of the President’s 120-day social contracts with Ghanaians is the “Tree for Life Reforestation Initiative,” a scheme aimed at restoring the country’s deteriorated lands.
As part of the Ministry’s transformative landscape restoration efforts to heal and harness the environment, the program is being carried out by the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources.
It would mostly concentrate on regions that have suffered significant deforestation due to illegal mining and other causes. According to President Mahama, he has also directed security and regulatory organizations to step up their efforts to combat illegal mining.
He said that the competent authorities were on track to regain the last two of the nine “no go zone” forest reserves that were being besieged by illegal miners, with seven of them having already been successfully reclaimed.
The President revealed that eleven motorcycles, three bulldozers, three trucks, four pump action guns, and fifty-five excavators had been captured as part of the operations.
He stated that the government was dedicated to recovering damaged lands and that the Tree for Life Reforestation Initiative was a historic step towards environmental conservation.
He pointed out that illegal mining had turned into a national emergency that threatened Ghanaians’ way of life, economy, and health.
“Farmers are losing their farmlands, rivers are turning brown and toxic with pollution and the entire communities are being affected,” the President lamented.
According to Ghana’s Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Hon. Emmanuel Armah Kofi Buah, the country’s forest cover has been rapidly declining, endangering the ecosystem’s basic underpinnings.
According to him, the project was launched at a critical juncture to address environmental issues like deforestation, illegal mining, and climate change.
“This initiative envisions transforming heavily degraded areas into functional and vibrant ecosystems that supports biodiversity and human livelihoods,” the Minister stated.
He said the initiative also sought to raise environmental awareness about the importance of tree planting and enhancing biodiversity through ecosystem restoration.