President Nana Akufo-Addo has warned chiefs and traditional leaders behind the activities of illegal mining to desist from such acts.
Speaking before the Central Regional House of Chiefs, President Akufo-Addo said involvement in illegal mining would not be tolerated under his administration. On the other hand, the campaign against it would be successful with the chief’s support.
“With all due respect, I know some of you [chiefs] are behind the galamsey activities in Ghana. If I came here and didn’t speak the truth, then my coming here would have been in vain.”
“I will not sit and watch and let some people destroy the environment – no way. I will not. For the sake of our future and generations yet unborn, please stop it. We can’t let this activity continue. Whatever government will do to ensure that this illegal mining ends, we will do,” the President avowed.
He said the fact that because the “work of a few people done for money, the land and water bodies would be destroyed” really disturbs him.
Government’s next step in the illegal mining fight, after banning small scale mining for a period, was to deploy an anti-illegal mining task force to some galamsey prone areas.
A joint military and police of about 400 personnel was deployed to the Ashanti, Eastern and Western Regions for the first phase of the military involvement in the fight against illegal mining.
The deployment of this task-force, code named, “Operation Vanguard” is to clamp down on the illegal mining activities which have devastated the Ghana’s land and water resources.
The government intends to use this approach for at least a year.
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By: Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana