Vice President Prof. Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang has declared that the administration intends to propose new laws to outlaw illegal mining in forest reserves and waterways.
During her official visit to the Global Gateway Forum in Brussels, the Vice President spoke to the Ghanaian community and voiced her worry about the damage that illegal mining is causing to the nation’s forest reserves and water supplies.
A major safety hazard, she strongly denounced the practice of abandoning uncovered mining trenches.
The Vice President’s announcement is consistent with a previous declaration made by Attorney General and Justice Minister Dr. Dominic Ayine, who stated that a new Legislative Instrument (L.I.) to repeal the contentious L.I. 2462, which currently allows mining in forest reserves, would shortly be presented to Parliament.
“We’re working towards banning mining in water bodies. A bill is being prepared to reverse what you saw and to ensure that the people are moved out of these areas and properly placed. What is even more disturbing also is the fact that when some mine, they just leave the place bare,” she reiterated.
James Gyakye Quayson, the deputy minister of foreign affairs, revealed that the government is currently examining about 2,167 mining licenses that were granted starting in 2017.
He said that government officials received the majority of these licenses.
He went on to say that anyone caught guilty of illegal mining will face legal action.
The administration is dedicated to returning contaminated water bodies to their natural state, the Deputy Minister emphasised.
Source: newsthemegh.com