Seth Kwame Acheampong
THE Eastern Regional Minister Seth Kwame Acheampong has warned that the government will not tolerate anyone caught infringing mining regulations and promoting illegal mining popularly called galamsey.
He said that the government is not against regulated mining but rather the authorities are interested in the illegalities going on in the mining sector which are destroying the environment and putting the county’s future in danger.
The Regional Minister said this when the Minister for Sanitation and Water Resource visited the region to inspect the state of the Birim River and Water treatment plants and intake points on Monday.
He said that the renewed fight against illegal mining and safeguarding of water, bodies will continue and there will be no compromise until the destroyed environment is secured and restored.
“The evidence is before us. I would like to say that we are not against mining but we are against mining activities that are irregular and not regulated and so we are going to fight every person who is doing what is against the laws of this country.”
“The regulation says do not mine within a 100m perimeter to the water body and so we are encouraging every person who wants to do their business to go ahead and do their business, however, please don’t cross the line because when you cross the line you will not find the law entertain you, the law will come after you,” he stated.
Okyenhene Support
When the ministers visited the Okyehene, Osagyefuo Amoatia Ofori Panin at his palace in Kyebi on Monday, he backed the move started by the government to eradicate illegal mining on the water bodies.
He said the menace could end if Ghanaians respected the rules of the land, adding that, what has been started when done well, will restore the water bodies and vegetation cover.
He indicated that the burning of excavators by the military task force clamping down on illegal mining is ‘a necessary evil’ in the renewed fight against illegal mining.
He said the persons engaging in illegal mining appear recalcitrant and likely to return to the site again if the excavators are spared.
Okyenhene described the situation as troubling and said the destruction needed to stop without delay because the forests are getting depleted at a faster rate.
FROM Daniel Bampoe, Kyebi