{"id":308656,"date":"2017-04-07T15:45:35","date_gmt":"2017-04-07T15:45:35","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/citifmonline.com\/?p=308656"},"modified":"2017-04-07T15:45:35","modified_gmt":"2017-04-07T15:45:35","slug":"illegal-miners-ask-for-more-time-to-stop-operating","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/citifmonline.com\/2017\/04\/illegal-miners-ask-for-more-time-to-stop-operating\/","title":{"rendered":"Illegal miners ask for more time to stop operating"},"content":{"rendered":"
Some illegal miners in four districts of the Western Region, have pledged to suspend their activities in support of government’s fight to end the menace.<\/p>\n
They however want the government to give them some additional time to enable them put an end to their operations.<\/p>\n
[contextly_sidebar id=”8rfrSUiJ8umY1MJC5iMelXvVxLZiIVKk”]The illegal miners making the request are in Amenfi West, Amenfi East, Amenfi Central and Prestea Huni-Valley districts.<\/p>\n
The effects of illegal mining, also known as galamsey, have been well documented with basically all Rivers in the Western Region affected by the menace, which threatens water treatment plants and water supply to residents.<\/p>\n
These effects have even extended over the border to Ivory Coast with a water treatment plant in that country shut down.<\/p>\n
A spokesperson for the group, Nana Ntori Bonkyi Akomea, conveyed the illegal miners’ assurances when they met with the of Environment, Science and Innovation Minister, Professor Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng.<\/p>\n
According to Nana Ntori, the illegal miners \u201crequire time to suspend operations and engage in negotiations with how best we could mine the minerals… We are of the conviction that government is not against gold mining, but the means by which the activity is carried out is the issue of concern.\u201d<\/p>\n