The Lands and Natural Resources Minister, Samuel Jinapor, has said the fight against illegal mining, locally known as “galamsey”, is at a crossroads.
He is, however, hopeful the fight will be won.
According to him, a lot of policies and programmes have been rolled out to tackle the menace in a more sustainable way.
Speaking at a meeting with Regional Ministers at the Jubilee House, Mr. Jinapor said the government will not renege on the fight against illegal mining in the country.
“Given all that has happened so far with respect to the issues to do with small-scale mining, we are now at a crossroads. In other words, we have had a Consultative National Dialogue and have put in some arrangements to regulate small-scale mining and end the issue of galamsey once and for all in the interest of the nation.”
Recent measures on the fight
The government recently renewed its commitment to fight illegal mining at a National Consultative Dialogue on Small Scale Mining, where stakeholders charged the government to take steps to strictly apply the country’s mining laws.
This has led to many actions being taken in that regard.
The government ordered persons undertaking prospecting activities in forest reserves across the country to indefinitely suspend such activities.
It also directed the Minerals Commission to desist from processing or granting any request for the renewal of prospecting licenses in forest reserves.
“The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources hereby directs persons and/or companies engaged in reconnaissance and/or prospecting in Forest Reserves, with or without legal authorization, to suspend such activities until further notice…The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources has further directed the Minerals Commission, with immediate effect, not to accept, process and/or recommend the grant, including the renewal and/or extension, of reconnaissance and prospecting licenses in Forest Reserves,” a statement from the Lands and Natural Resources Ministry said.
