We’re giving you two weeks to stop mining in forest reserves - Dr. Amoakohene to Illegal Miners

Kumasi, Ghana - 07 Feb, 2025 - The Ashanti Regional Minister, Dr. Frank Amoakohene, has issued a two-week ultimatum to illegal miners operating in water bodies and forest reserves.

The move is part of a broader effort to tackle the environmental and social impacts of illegal mining.

Dr. Amoakohene warned that a team will be deployed to enforce the directive and halt mining activities in protected areas. He emphasized the need for strict compliance with environmental regulations and the importance of restoring order in the mining sector.

The Minister's comments came during his maiden media briefing, where he also highlighted the region's infrastructure challenges. According to him, a total of 618 stalled projects have been identified.

He pledged to work towards their completion.

“The President [John Dramani Mahama] has issued a directive that anyone in the forest reserves mining should vacate those places. We’re giving them up to two weeks if you are mining within forest reserves and if you don’t want to be on the other side of the law, you have two weeks to vacate or leave those places.

''The other area has to do with water bodies, so we’re giving them two weeks, if you have any investment whatsoever and you are on water bodies polluting them and destroying our water bodies, you have two weeks to leave the space. We will send out a team to ensure normalcy and restore order within the mining sector,'' he added.

Source: Lead News Online