Gov't to repeal LI 2462, deploy river guards, navy to fight galamsey – Lands Minister

Accra, Ghana - Accra, Ghana - Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel Abu Jinapor, has announced that the government will soon roll out major interventions to combat illegal mining, commonly known as galamsey.

In an interview on Citi FM's Citi Breakfast Show, Jinapor revealed that the government's meeting with Organised Labour yielded a consensus to:

1. Repeal LI 2462, permitting mining in forest reserves.
2. Expedite trials of galamsey offenders.
3. Deploy river guards and navy personnel to patrol river bodies.

Jinapor emphasized that agriculture, not mining, drives deforestation,

The minister reassured that Operation Halt, which has been ongoing every fortnight, will be intensified. 

“Consensus was reached that the government will take steps to repeal LI 2462 when Parliament resumed and also ensure the expeditious trial of offenders. Be it as it may, the government took notice of the announcement [of Organised Labour] that went on yesterday [Monday] but there are some other interventions that we are working on and they will be made known in the coming days. River guards and the navy will be patrolling our river bodies, with other interventions.”

“The number one driver of deforestation is agriculture and that is not to suggest mining does not do the same. Mining on river bodies is banned and they are red zones mining is not permitted 100 meters away from our waterbodies and we are even planning to make it 200 meters small-scale mining is also not permitted in forest areas.''

“The impression should never be created that we are just waking up to take action against this menace. Operation Halt has been happening almost every fortnight and we are going to intensify that,'' he added.

Source: Lead News Online