George Mireku Duker, Deputy minister of Lands and Natural Resources, has described calls for nationwide ban on small scale mining activities as misguided.
He criticised the devastation of the nation’s major water bodies and the environment by illegal miners activities, indicating that the government will continue to promote accountable mining operations.
Organized Labour has warned that it will launch a nationwide strike if the government fails to take effective measures to halt the environmental damage and the destruction of water bodies caused by illegal mining.
Speaking at the inauguration of the Meretweso Community Mining Scheme in the Upper Denkyira East Municipality of the Central Region, Mr. Duker emphasized that banning small-scale mining would be a misplaced priority.
He also announced that the government will soon deploy river guards to safeguard the water bodies.
He said “it is misdirected because I was expecting them to have condemned the statement made by his excellency the former President Mahama before even calling for this action because you can’t just in a way out of the blue you just say put a ban. Ban on what”.
“What are the metrics, what have you done. What analysis have you done. The statement President Mahama made was unfortunate so why didn’t they in a way ask him to apologise,” he added.
Source: Obikyere Abigail Seyram
