The Institute of Statistical Social and Economic Research, ISSER, has backed government’s war against illegal mining popularly called galamsey with a demand for an audit of the nefarious activity.
“We need to do an audit on all those involved in galamsey,” ISSER director, Prof. Felix Asante said Thursday on Morning Starr with Francis Abban.
“After the audit, those who wouldn’t want to engage in galamsey should be employed elsewhere,” he added.
Shortly after assuming office, the government announced a ban on small-scale mining as part of efforts to fight the activities of illegal mining. The age-old activities have raved the environment, contaminating water bodies and destroying many farmlands.
According to the Lands and Natural Resources Minister, John Peter Amewu, Ghana is winning the fight against menace and that the number of illegal mining pits that have been closed exceeds 1000.
“We know that thousands of sites have been shut down. I’m not in a position to start mentioning, but they are all over,” he said Tuesday, October 10.
He further noted when he appeared before parliament to answer questions posed by Wassa East Member of Parliament (MP), Isaac Adjei Mensah, that 90 percent of heavy-duty earth-moving machines at galamsey sites have been evacuated, whiles more than 3,000 floating platforms had been destroyed, with 347 illegal miners facing court action.
Source: Ghana/Starrfmonline.com/103.5FM
