Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has proposed a total ban on small scale mining in the country as a means of stopping the distraction that the activity causes to the environment.
The issue of galamsey (illegal small scale mining) has been an age old problem with successive governments finding it very difficult to fight.
The Lands and Forestry Minister, John Peter Amewu recently disclosed that government will start using drones to augment its efforts to effectively combat illegal mining to ensure the protection of the country’s water bodies and the environment.
Galamsey has destroyed several of the country’s water bodies, resulting in them drying up.This has resulted in the pollution of the water the Ghana Water Company Limited, treats and supplies to the populace.
Speaking on the matter on Joy FM’s NewsFile on Saturday, Hon. Ablakwa was confident that the freeze on small scale mining will be an effective measure largely to end the menace that the activity poses to the country.
“We need a new approach and I think that the approach must be that you can trust anybody be they chiefs, be they land owners or the security personnel there, politicians…I mean all of us should not be expected to necessarily bring a solution to this matter.
There ought to be full disclosure of what is going on. And let us see a strong taskforce that descends, that arrests, that ensures that deportation take place.
Because we do know that there are a lot of people who engage in this galamsey(illegal mining) have no business being in this country in the first place.
And then in the mean time…shouldn’t we just ban small scale mining totally and possibly even put a moratorium on all forms of mining. I think that we’ve reached that level.”
Source: kasapa
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Ablakwa well said. We need you guys in opposition for long time to begin to see what is wrong and good. Continue be in opposition so Ghana well see good things
shut the funk up, ablakwa. where have you been all these years that this menace has been ongoing. have you now found your voice? ***barred word***.
Why did you not ban them when you were in power?
Banning is lazy approach to galamsey issues.Let me ask you these few questions Ablakwa: 1-If we ban them where will we get gold to use in the country? Remember the big mining firms don't sell their gold in Ghana. 2- Who is going to employ them after banning them? 3-Where was Ablakwa all this 8years when the galamsey became rampant? I advise that the galamsey guys should be stopped from using the water bodies because mining can be done without using river bodies. The government should organize them and buy the gold from them ,galamsey guys must be organize into groups where fees could be charge to them for reclamation. The government can solve cedi depreciation with gold sales from galamsey guys.Lets find proper solution and stop the lazy approach to problems.
hehehe! Smart dude! Is just like saying ban private universities & retailors. Put in place measures that are safe that will enable them to operate within the laws of the and & @ the same time keep the environment safe.
Today I agree with you.you have spoken like one of us .
How come you did not say this eight years ago.
Let's not politicise this issue. The rate of degradation of our environment and the destruction of our water bodies is terrifying. Let's ban this uncontrolled galamsey for now, and put in place better procedures for controlled small scale mining Later.
Ablakwa you were in government for 8 years and you couldn't see the degradation of the galamsey menace. Now you are sitting back so you can see well. Small children are young. Now your tear you ah.