Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Hon. Emmanuel Armah Kofi Buah has re-affirmed government’s commitment to the fight against the illegal mining.
He explained that coordinated efforts of the military, police, and other security agencies is making the Ministry win the fight against the illegal mining.
Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Hon. Emmanuel Armah Kofi Buah addressing the media
The Minister made the statement when je took his turn at the Government Accountability Series held at the Jubilee Hoise on Wednesday
“The Ministry has established the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) as the operational nerve-centre for Ghana’s fight against illegal small-scale mining and its associated environmental degradation, particularly in water bodies and forest reserves.
He said the NAIMOs embodies Ghana’s coordinated response to the scourge of illegal mining, integrating security, environmental, and legal responses into a unified operational strategy”, the Minister emphasized.
In the fight against galamsey, the Minister revealed that 55 small-scale mining licenses issued during the transitional period were revoked at the beginning of the year adding that 907 out of 1,278 licenses are now under review for possible revocation due to irregularities identified by the Small-Scale Mining Review Committee.
According to him a similar exercise is currently ongoing to review large-scale mining licenses to ensure compliance.
“These measures are aimed at sanitizing the mining sector to ensure transparency and sustainable operations”, he noted.
He emphasized that so far 425 excavators and other machinery have been seized with about 1,345 arrests made nationwide.
The Ellembelle Member of Parliament further stressed that since the inception of this government, President Mahama’s vision of Resetting Ghana has been in full force, adding that Ghanaians have appreciated the dedication and commitment of all those who have been tasked with the privilege of serving.
Hon. Armah Buah also disclosed that the Ministry has undertaken includes the review of the Minerals and Mining Act 2006 (Act 703), as amended, and the Minerals and Mining Policy (2014) to help sanitize the mining space.
He added that the review would also ensure that Ghanaians benefit from the natural and mineral resources.
“The Mining Sector is the lifeline for millions of Ghanaians, and as we all know, Ghana is blessed with an abundance of minerals – Gold, diamonds, bauxite, iron, salt, and others. These natural resources are under unprecedented global strain due to rapid population growth, urbanization, escalating demand for raw materials, and the compounding effects of climate change”, Hon. Armah Buah stressed.
The Minister who touched on all agencies under his Ministry vowed to transform and sanitize all the agencies in line with President Mahama’s reser agenda.
Source:www.senaradioonline.com
