President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, the Government of Ghana has set up an adhoc Ministerial Committee to engage key stakeholders in a unified approach to address the increasing problem of illegal mining (galamsey).
The five-member committee, which is charged with reviewing the government’s actions against illegal mining, is chaired by the National Security Minister, Hon. Albert Kan-Dapaah. Other members include the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Hon. Samuel A. Jinapor, the Minister for Defence, Hon. Dominic Nitiwul, the Minister for Employment, Labour Relations and Pensions, Hon. Ignatius Baffour Awuah, and the Minister for Information, Fatimatu Abubakar.
In an official statement dated September 13, 2024 and signed by Information Minister Fatimatu Abubakar, it noted that, “On the instruction of the President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, an adhoc Ministerial committee has been set up to engage all stakeholders to assess government’s efforts in dealing with illegal mining in Ghana.”
This development comes after increased criticism of the government’s handling of galamsey, which has resulted in severe pollution of water bodies.
The committee is expected to facilitate productive discussions between stakeholders and the government, with a particular focus on developing lasting solutions to the illegal mining issue, which remains a persistent challenge despite numerous attempts to eradicate it.
Source: Ghana/Starrfm.com.gh/Mary Asantewaa Buabeng
