Kofi Dzamesi addressing the chiefs
Some chiefs in the Western Region have lauded the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, for not relenting in his fight against the illegal mining phenomenon, popularly known as ‘galamsey’.
They commended the President for the efforts to protect water bodies in the region from destruction by the activities of illegal miners.
This came to light when the Minister of Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Mr. Kofi Dzamesi, visited the Western Region and addressed separate meetings of the paramount chiefs, queens and elders of the Wassa Amenfi and Wassa Fiase Traditional areas – all in the region.
The minister’s visit was to ascertain how well the people had complied with the government’s directive to put a stop to illegal mining.
In attendance were municipal and district chief executives, coordinating directors and assembly members drawn from the Wassa Amenfi East and Tarkwa-Nsuaem municipalities as well as the Mpohor Wassa East District.
Tetrete Akuamoah Sekyim II, the Paramount Chief of Wassa Amenfi Traditional Area, indicated that Ghanaians were aware of the work President Akufo-Addo had done within two years of being in office to fight the galamsey menace.
He was, however, not happy that some illegal mining activities were still taking place in some forest reserves in the area and called on the personnel of the Operation Vanguard to step up the fight against galamsey activities in the forest reserves.
The chief of Ayiem in the Mpohor District indicated that the traditional leaders in the area were much concerned about the menace being created as a result of galamsey.
He, however, mentioned that large-scale mining companies had taken over most of the lands rich in gold and so it would be difficult for the people to get a land for the government’s community mining programme.
He then appealed to the President to intervene so that the people would get land rich in gold for the community mining project to create jobs for the youth.
Minister
Mr. Kofi Dzamesi commended the chiefs, as custodians of the land, for their active involvement in the crusade to clamp down on the activities of galamsey operators.
“The NPP, under the leadership of Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, is concerned about the health of the people, which is why it has become necessary that galamsey is stopped,” he stated.
He reiterated that the government had no intention to ban mining but was rather against illegal mining which was causing untold hardship to humans and destroying the environment.
“The amount of work undertaken, and the achievements chalked up by this government in just one and half years of being in office, surpasses the four-year work done by some other government,” Mr. Dzamesi noted.
From Emmanuel Opoku, Wassa Akropong