Ghana government urged to take firm decision on illegal mining

Stakeholders at a mineral and mining workshop at Shama have underscored the need for the government to take a firm stance on illegal mining popularly known as “galamsey” in the country.

The stakeholders, comprising traditional authorities, opinion leaders, assembly members and operators in the industry noted that illegal mining was impacting negatively on the socio-economic lives of Ghanaians, as it was degrading the environment and polluting river bodies.

They said a concrete stance from the government would go a long way to influence decisions by the communities affected by the activities of galamsey operators.

In the interim, Nana TwenTwen Sarfo III, chief of Atwereboada  in the Shama district who made the call, appealed to the government to find an alternative source of potable water for communities whose river bodies had been polluted by the activities of the illegal miners. Nana TwenTwen said water in the river Prah which was their main source of potable water had become discloured and thick like porridge.

The workshop on small scale mining, environmental and community issues relating to industrial mineral operations, was organized by the Takoradi office of the Inspectorate Division of the Minerals Commission.

Participants were drawn from Shama, Beposo, Tarkwa and the nearby communities.

Meanwhile, Nana Pansor IV, Chief of Supomu also in the Shama district, called on the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies to inform chiefs each time land in their area was going to be used for mining operations.

He alleged that in spite of notices placed at the assemblies to this effect, information did not get to the chiefs, saying “all we see is that some people have come to my land and are working”.

The chief indicated his preparedness to stop  mining activities in his area until the right processes were complied with.

Source: GNA