The Ashanti Regional Minister, Dr. Frank Amoakohene, has issued a two-week ultimatum for illegal miners operating on water bodies and within forest reserves to vacate the areas immediately.
“We’re giving them up to two weeks to vacate the forest reserves if they are engaged in mining activities. If you want to avoid legal issues, you must leave those areas within this timeframe,” he stated.
“Again, we want to address the issue of our water bodies. We are also giving a two-week period for anyone with investments that are polluting these water bodies to stop their activities and vacate those areas,” he added.
Illegal mining has become a significant challenge in Ghana, causing extensive damage to farmlands and water bodies, which has led to serious issues for many communities.
The Regional Minister is determined to combat this problem.
Dr. Amoakohene announced that a team will be deployed by the council to enforce the directive after the deadline, with the aim of removing all illegal miners from these critical areas.
During his inaugural press engagement at the Regional Coordinating Council, he noted the importance of strict adherence to environmental regulations as a key step in addressing this pressing issue.
