President Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo says both generals (financiers) and foot soldiers involved in illegal mining a.k.a. galamsey, would be targeted and arrested to face the law.
In an interview on a local private radio station at Nkawkaw as part of his tour in the Eastern Region, he said culprits would be made to face hasher sanctions to serve as deterrent to others.
“Before, the sentences slated for suspects were convicted on misdemeanor, but I was determined to ensure that it is changed to fel ony and all of these review of law and interventions is made to strengthen fight against galamsey and I am determined to stop illegal mining to the point that I put my presidency on the line. I would want to make a substantial change in the area of mining before I leave,” he said.
He said the introduction of chanfung, excavators and other impactful machines have been a contributing factor to the massive destruction of lands and water bodies and was poised to flash them out of the country.
“Distribution, manufacturing and sale of chanfung are now illegal. As part of measures, we have increased significantly the level of sanctions against people who engage in galamsey. Today, Ghanaians who get involved would get a 15-year minimum sentence if convicted and foreigners would get as long as 25- year imprisonment if convicted,” he said.
President Akufo-Addo pat himself at the back on efforts to resolve the adverse impact of minning .
“The problem was that we disengaged too quickly, once the first plot has gone through, this year we have decided to use the whole year to maintain Operation Halt especially, the fight on our river bodies. Surveyors have taken charge of impactful machines, excavators and chanfung and they are being destroyed because it is our major problem in our mining,” he indicated.
He explained that alternative measures including community mining exercise, buying of more speed patrol boards to control river bodies, recruiting river guards to support the operation, were being put in place to stop illegal mining.
Reacting to the issue on banning all forms of mining, the President said, the idea has to be examined because, small scale mining contributed significantly to the national output, adding 40 per cent of gold export.
By Yvonne Neequaye|E/R|Onuaonline.com
