The Member of Parliament for the Binduri Constituency, Issifu Mahmoud, has urged the government to approach the fight against illegal mining, known as galamsey, with caution to effectively address the issue.
“Even though I’m happy with the aggressive manner the government has approached the fight against illegal mining, if the government does not restrategize and if care is not taken, we may lose the fight and go back to where we started from,” he said..
The Lawmaker commended the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources for their efforts in reclaiming certain forest reserves and restricting the importation of excavators as significant steps in combating this menace.
However, he expressed concerns that if the current approach is not carefully managed, it could yield results similar to those experienced under the previous administration.
The MP noted that some individuals assigned to combat illegal mining may have compromised interests, which undermines the effectiveness of the fight.
“What I am unhappy with in this government and the previous one is that some security officers, who are supposed to combat illegal mining, instead pursue their own personal interests,” he told host Alfa Ali on the Orange Sunrise.
Illegal mining has led to the destruction of vast areas of farmland and forest reserves as miners search for gold.
Despite the government’s claims of having reclaimed around nine forest reserves previously affected by galamsey activities, some civil society groups have challenged this assertion.
Some CSOs criticised the government for being reluctant to declare a state of emergency in targeted areas to significantly curtail the activities of illegal miners.
Mr. Mahmoud believes that a collective effort is necessary to achieve the desired outcomes in the fight against galamsey.
