President John Dramani Mahama has reiterated his administration’s commitment towards the fight against illegal mining, otherwise known as ‘galamsey’ in Ghana.
He says his government has intensified efforts to reclaim forest reserves that were encroached by illegal miners, with National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) being at the forefront of this feat.
According to him, the measures and approach adopted by the Government is so far yielding results, with several illegal miners driven out of the reserves they earlier occupied.
Speaking during a Resetting Ghana Tour of the Upper East Region, President Mahama detailed the key role NAIMOS has played so far in the fight, including the seizure of excavators and changfang machines used by illegal miners and the removal of miners from several forest reserves.
He reaffirmed his government’s commitment towards protecting Ghana’s forests, water bodies and other natural resources from the devastating effects of illegal mining.
“NAIMOS is working very hard. We have seized excavators, we have seized Changfang machines, and we have driven illegal miners out of this area, and we are making progress. Out of the almost 49 forest reserves that were invaded [by illegal miners], we have been able to clear as many of them as possible of illegal miners,” he stated.
He said the forests were earlier handed over to the Forestry Commission after clearing them, but had to deploy the military to take charge after realising the illegal miners were not afraid of the guards.
The President said even though the deployment of the soldiers costs the nation more resources, Government is going to be resolute with the fight.
“What we initially did was that we handed the places to the Forestry Commission after clearing them, but the illegal miners don’t fear the forest guards, and so we now put a military detachment after we clear a forest reserve,” he stated.
The President acknowledged the additional resources required to sustain security deployments in reclaimed forest reserves but said the government would remain committed to preventing illegal miners from returning to the cleared areas.
“That means we will have to spend more money to feed the soldiers and provide logistics for them to continue to stay in the forest, but we will not give up the fight.”
‘People are doing galamsey in their homes’ – Abuakwa South MCE
