Speaking at the general meeting of the Eastern Regional House of Chiefs in Koforidua, Mr Kofi Dzamesi pleaded with the Chiefs to give the government time as to address  their challenges.

“I must say that the enormous role that chiefs and Queen Mothers’ play in the society can never be undermined or go unnoticed by the NPP government. You are role models and agents of change and you also contribute to the socio-economic development of this nation and for that the government recognizes all your efforts.”

“This year we have managed to increase allowances for Paramount Chiefs and Queen Mothers’. It is the vision of His Excellency the President that as we move forward by the end of the first 4 years in office every single gazetted Chief will be paid some allowance to help in discharging their duties but this is tied to conflict resolution,” he said.

Kofi Dzamesi also promised to change the vehicles of all the 10 Regional Presidents of the House of Chiefs and their deputies.

“with the issue of your vehicles I have personally written a letter to the Chief of staff on behalf of the National House of Chiefs to get a number of 4 wheel drives as operational vehicles for the Chiefs and with this you will use it for your work and when you no longer occupy that position you leave it behind for your successors to take charge and I pray and am hopeful that you will soon get them.”

“With the issue of stool lands, I hope you will take up that issue because I personally believe that stool lands should be under the outfit of Ministry of Chieftaincy so that the ministry of lands will give us technical support”

He, however, called for a collaborative effort with central government to end the galamsey menace in the country.

“I want to draw the attention of the house to two critical issues which are very dear to the heart of the President and they are the galamsey menace and litigation. These two issues are deeply affecting every facet of the state and the effects are devastating and it will take a huge chunk of state resources to resolve but you are well placed to put an end to them. You control the land and you are equally involved in solving matters that bothers on chieftaincy issues so I plead with you to join the efforts of Operation Vanguard, support them and let us win the fight against illegal mining in the country to protect the environment and our water bodies,” he said.

He then hinted on an upcoming program to involve the Queen Mothers in the galamsey fight.

“Very soon a new program is going to be rolled out which will involve our Queen Mother’s because we have realized that women also play an integral role in galamsey being that they are those who cook and send food to the galamsey operators in the bush, some women even go the extent to fetch water for the use of washing the sand from the gold so we will engage them to talk to those women”

On his part, the President of the Eastern Regional House of Chiefs Okyehene Osagyefo Amoatia Ofori Panyin II asked for traditional leaders participation in governance.

“We want to be included in governance to share ideas so our areas will be developed. We want to really compliment central government because development can only happen when it is in the hands of the local people, local people should own their development and it should not be something that should be brought to us from Accra that is why we want to actively participate in governance”

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By: Neil Nii Amatey Kanarku/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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Mr Robert Agyemang Nyantakyi, who made this known when he led journalists to the River Pra on Saturday said: “we are grateful to the government and Coalition of the Media, our river is showing some changes.”

Galamsey

He said until the fight had begun on illegal mining, the river, which hitherto served as a source of revenue and attracted fisher-folks from other communities, was showing signs of pollution, and thereby made life unbearable for the people.

The DCE said since the campaign began, a district task force was formed by the people, to prevent the illegal business saying, “this is the result we are witnessing.”

“But since the fight, which drove away the illegal miners, life is returning to normalcy and the river is beginning to flow freely, an indication that things will work again,” he said.

Mr Nyantankyi, therefore, called for intensification of the campaign to enable the practice to stop in all parts of the country.

Media coalition

The Ghanaian media in April 2017 began the single biggest journey ever to rescue the nation from the scourge of illegal mining (galamsey) with the launch of the media coalition against Galamsey to advocate a complete cessation of the illicit activity.

The campaign is meant to be a wake-up call to the harm being done to water bodies and the vegetation by the illegal miners.

The coalition is made up of the Graphic Communications Group Limited (GCGL), the New Times Corporation, the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC), the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), the Ghana Independent Broadcasters Association (GIBA), the Private Newspaper Publishers Association of Ghana (PRINPAG), the Community Radio Network and OccupyGhana.

Education

On education, Mr Nyantakyi said the district had put in place measures to improve results in the basic as well as the senior high schools.

Among the measures, he indicated, include checking absenteeism, setting up motivating schemes for teachers and encouraging parents to be more responsible for the wards.

“We are encouraging parents to give ample time to their wards to study at home and also help them in their assignments.”

Security

The DCE said the district had acquired some street lights to give facelift to the area and also to ensure security.

Agriculture

On agriculture, Mr Nyantakyi said the district, would as part of the government’s agenda, support the people to undertake backyard gardening and other agricultural projects.

Health

He said the assembly would set up funds to motivate nursing students who graduate from the nursing training college in the district, in other to retain them in the district after their programme.

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Source: Graphic.com.gh

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The soldiers had earlier called for a total boycott of anti lumbering and anti galamsey operations, during a meeting between the hierarchy of the Armed Forces and the officers.

[contextly_sidebar id=”xanmI95KEV0cdYLJ7YXwS2G5vRb2zYX6″]But in an interview with Citi News, Colonel Quarshie indicated that, the military is expected to pursue the fight against Galamsey even under unfavourable conditions, since they had taken an oath before they were employed.

“You are doing a job, and you swear an oath that says that you go wherever you are ordered, what does that mean? It means wherever your services are needed you must go and do the work.”

He further stated that, since the Military has no power to prosecute, it has to collaborate with the Police on the matter.

“We don’t have the power to prosecute;  so even if you go to do the investigations and you arrest whoever you want to arrest, it is still the Police that will do the prosecution so it is better to collaborate with them to do the job that is expected.”

CDS begs angry soldiers over Capt. Mahama’s death

On Thursday, emotions were high amidst the desire for retribution on the part of soldiers gathered at Burma Camp,  following the lynching of one of their own.

The soldiers conveyed their anger over the killing of Captain Mahama in the presence of the Chief of Defence Staff, Major General Obed Akwa, who had a tough job suppressing the men who were out for blood.

“We are the last resort in this country. If we allow ourselves to be beaten this way… as a Christian, by what Jesus said in Matthew 26 verse 52: he who draws the sword must die by the sword,” one fuming soldier stated.

Some of the soldiers also called for a total boycott and discontinuation of all anti-lumbering and anti galamsey operations currently being run by the Army.

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By: Marian Ansah/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @EfeAnsah

The post Capt. Mahama’s death won’t affect galamsey fight – Armed Forces appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

According to the Council, the practice threatens the survival of the future generation if not given the needed attention and checked.

[contextly_sidebar id=”IjV1ec3aQhWl5Ib3aNfX3y4L72HU85O3″]Many communities in Ghana are currently suffering the negative effects of galamsey which has left most of Ghana’s fresh water poisonous. Thousands of acres of fertile farmlands have also been destroyed as a result of galamsey. Although Ghana’s laws are clear on illegal mining, the activity has been allowed to continue for more than two decades.

Citi FM has been at the forefront of media advocacy and crusade for action against the illegal activity.

The station has among other things petitioned parliament to act to stop the illegal activity.

The government in reaction to the massive campaign also being carried out by a Media coalition has commenced a major operation to rid communities of galamsey activities to save the country’s lands and water resources from further pollution.

But according to the General Secretary of Ghana Pentecostal and Charismatic Council, Apostle Samuel Antwi, more has to be done to completely address the menace.

In a Citi News interview, he said, “we must continue the fight. All of us; the media has a role to play. They should continue what they have started. The Church also have a role, we appeal to Pastors to continue to preach, talk about it from the Pulpit and sensitive the people to fight against it,” he said.

He added that the incident of illegal mining in the country was a national security threat that needed the involvement of all stakeholders.

“In the end, everybody in Ghana must be concerned and must fight against it. We consider it seriously as a national threat, it is more of a security issue now because the future of this country is at stake,” he said.

In a related development, the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, John Peter Amewu has urged illegal miners to take advantage of the numerous opportunities offered by the government under the Multilateral Mining Integrated Project (MMIP) to make a living.

He said the MMIP, a five-year initiative adopted by the Ministry, embodies a livelihood empowerment project for the miners that will engage the illegal miners and the youth in tree planting activities to reclaim the lands that had been destroyed through mining.

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By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Pentecostal and Charismatic Council backs galamsey fight appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

According to him, the State of Israel is “fully behind  Ghana in this fight” and is ready to help the country recover from the devastation wrecked by the menace on the environment.

[contextly_sidebar id=”Jn2WbwnSTTAR70rN1iLLJXim9kRx7bD9″]In a statement copied to citfmonline.com, Ami Mehl said all efforts must be made to preserve the environment for the sake of posterity to guarantee the usefulness of forests and water bodies to future generations.

“I would like to take this opportunity to applaud the government and the good people of Ghana for their determination and resolve to tackle the issue of illegal mining (Galamsey) in the country… Being blessed with such a beautiful country, it behooves us to protect and preserve the environment for future generations. It is my opinion that the exploitation of one natural resource should not become a death sentence to forests, water bodies and the life they support,” he said.

While noting that galamsey threatened the country’s water security, H.E Amehl, who has been in Ghana since August 2015, declared his commitment to the anti-galamsey campaign.

“Coming from a country that for many decades suffered existential threats due to water shortages, I hope that Ghana does not find herself facing a water crisis in the future.”

“As Ambassador of the State of Israel to Ghana and a former Tour Guide at the Society for Protecting the Nature in Israel, I wish to state my unalloyed support to campaign against illegal mining and the fight to protect Ghana’s forests and water bodies. The State of Israel is fully behind Ghana in this fight, and is ready to support the nation recover from the environmental degradation.”

He further commended the media for its efforts in addressing the issue, noting that Ghana can successfully root out galamsey if its political leaders and the general populace commit to the campaign.

“I commend the Ghanaian media for coming together and joining forces with various institutions in championing the fight against Galamsey. I believe that with the political will and support from all and sundry, Ghana will overcome the Galamsey menace.”

Many communities in Ghana are currently suffering the negative effects of galamsey which has left most of Ghana’s fresh water poisonous.

Thousands of acres of fertile farmlands have also been destroyed as a result of galamsey. Although Ghana’s laws are clear on illegal mining, the activity has been allowed to continue for more than two decades.

Citi FM has been at the forefront of media advocacy and crusade for action against the illegal activity.

President Akufo-Addo has said his government is working to develop a policy that will deal with galamsey in the country, but pressure is increasingly being mounted on him to act fast to arrest the situation.

The government has since taken a number of actions including suspending the issuance of new licences for the small-scale mining in the country, and it has announced the retrieval of some illegal mining equipment, surrendered by the operators following the massive drive to clamp down on their activities.

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By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Israeli ambassador declares support for galamsey fight appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.