The Minister for Environment, Science and Technology, Professor Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng, has stressed the importance of ending illegal mining in Ghana.
As the fight against illegal mining intensifies, the minister assured that government will do its part and not relent on its efforts to clamp down on the menace despite the opposition.
In an interview with Citi News’ Farida Shaibu, Prof Frimpong-Boateng acknowledged that concerns over government’s pace in the fight were legitimate.
But he noted that “the main operation has not yet started… we need to be very careful and we are studying why were too successful with the fight against galamsey in the past.”
“So we are very careful to be strategic and conscious of the fact we need to provide alternative livelihood and these are all things we are thinking about.
That is why it appears we are taking a long time. Prof Frimpong-Boateng also added that “the President is concerned and he has the mandate of Ghanaians to overcome this. It cannot continue.”
He, however, reminded citizens that, they too had a stake in the fight against illegal mining. “It is in our own interests, let us not see it as a fight by the President and his ministers to get rid of illegal mining.
It is a fight for our land and the survival of the generations that will come after us. It is difficult but the job must be done. We should not expect that any generation will come after us that will accomplish this.”
Source: classfmonline
