Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, has strongly warned illegal miners to quit contaminating the country’s rivers or face harsh repercussions.
“We are sending a warning to anybody who has been violating our laws and destroying our water bodies. We are determined to turn them blue again.
“This order has already been given — stay out, or you do so at your own peril,” he said when he embarked on an anti-galamsey operation with officers of the National Anti-illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS), to patrol the galamsey-polluted Ankobra River from Wiawso to Akango in the Nzema East Municipality of the Western Region.
Mr Buah stressed that government is shifting to intensify the fight against illegal mining, especially activities in and around river bodies.
“We are moving to another major phase of our fight against illegal mining. There is no law in Ghana that allows anybody to mine in any river body,” he said. “Yet, our major rivers that are key to our survival are being destroyed.”
Mr. Buah reiterated that President John Dramani Mahama has directed security forces to take full control of all major rivers in the country as part of a new enforcement strategy.
“In the coming months, you will see a new shift. President Mahama’s focus is clear — we are going to take direct control of every river body. There will be a clear occupation by our security forces on all the major rivers,” he said.
The Minister led a delegation which included the Western Regional Minister, Joseph Nelson and officials from the Lands Ministry who joined the National Anti-illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS), Western Regional National Security operatives, and Blue Waters Guards on a patrol to access the river’s current state.
