As part of ongoing efforts to combat galamsey in the country, the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Hon. Emmanuel Armah Kofi Buah has revealed that community mining schemes are henceforth to be disbanded and replaced by small scale cooperatives.
According to the Minister, the change in name is to ensure that the objective for it’s implementation is achieved whilst also contributing to the fight against galamsey.
Hon. Armah Buah who revealed this at a news conference on Wednesday said the decision for the change came about following findings by a Committee set up by the sector Ministry and Ministry of Environment Science and Technology to review small scale licenses.
Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Hon. Armah Kofi Buah ,flanked by Minister for Environment, Science and Technology (MEST), Hon. Murtala Mohammed.
“The committee has presented their findings and we are here to provide an update to the Ghanaian people.
1.Revoking all licenses issued since December 7th, 2024
Existing Community Mining Schemes are in name only, although the basis for which they were founded was to benefit the community. However, the findings indicate that this is not the case hence, they are to be disbanded and replaced with Small-Scale Cooperatives that actually serve and benefit the communities”, the Minister emphasized.
He added that, these cooperatives will be formed after due diligence with the communities involved so they properly represent the communities.
According to the Minister, the current regime is fraught with so many problems; hence, establishing a Technical Small-Scale Mining Review Committee to review all existing small-scale licenses was necessary to protect the environment.
The MP for Ellembelle later revealed that the Committee to be chaired by the Deputy Minister of Lands and
Natural Resources – Hon. Yusif Sulemana and to be deputized by a
Director from the Ministry of Env’t Science and Technology is tasked to audit all licenses to ensure they were properly acquired, that due process was followed, and that they meet all conditions of continuous validity with respect to environmental water bodies, forest reserves, and land preservation standards.
“ They are also to ensure permitting fees have been paid in full”, Hon. Armah Buah added.
He said the Committee has up to two months within which to present a recommendation.
On his part, the Minister for Science, Environment and Technology, Dr. Murtala Mohammed, underscored the need for the media to prioritize the galamsey fight stressing that the galamsey war being waged is a moral fight for our own survival.
He therefore called on the media and Civil Society organizations to see the fight as a collective responsibility and be deeply involved.
Hon. Murtala described galamsey
as an evil and terrorism of land and river bodies, warning politicians
“who think they can hide behind political parties to do galamsey to beware.
Source:www.senaradioonline.com
