[ 2017-04-19 ]

Security agencies will flush out galamsey operators – Lands Minister
The Lands and Natural Resources Minister says the
government will deploy law enforcement officers
across the country to apprehend defiant galamsey
operators.

John Peter Amewu told Joy News Wednesday the
illegal miners who have defied government’s
directive to abandon their activities are engaging
in “lawlessness.”

He said the deployment of security men forms part
of several actions by the Ministry to clamp down
on activities of illegal miners that are
destroying the country's water bodies.

Wednesday marks the end of the Ministry's 21-day
ultimatum to galamsey operators to end their
activities or be prosecuted if they are arrested.
Deputy Lands Minister, Benito Owusu-Bio told Joy
News Tuesday the anti-galamsey campaign which
begun in February has started yielding results
after some 75 excavators were turned in by some of
the miners.

The apparent success comes at a time there is
mounting pressure on government to save the
remaining water bodies and forest reserves from
the illegal miners.

There are reports that Ghana's neighbours are also
bearing the brunt of the galamsey activities.
Science and Technology Minister, Professor
Frimpong Boateng had said he was approached by
some Ivorian officials when he attended a
conference in the country.

The Minister said the Ivorian officials took
advantage of his presence in their country to hold
a press conference to register their displeasure
about galamsey in Ghana.

But the anti-galamsey campaign is leading to a
diplomatic row between Ghana and Chinese
government who believes the campaign was an attack
on its nationals.

A letter from the Chinese community in Ghana has
cautioned government to curtail bad reports about
its nationals in the media over the galamsey
issue. A Ghanaian businessman who spoke to Joy
News on a condition of anonymity said they are
being victimised by Chinese Customs officials
because of the anti-galamsey campaign.

But Mr Peter Amewu said government will carry
through with the fight to end galamsey in Ghana by
using the new drafted Multilateral Mining
Agreement policy.

He said they are compiling a list of illegal
miners who have complied with government's
directive so that they would be helped to secure
contracts on some prospected lands.

"As a Ministry, we are not against Ghanaians
mining, but we will accept those who will mine in
an environmentally sustainable manner," he said.

Source - Myjoyonline.com

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