01 Oct 2024
Former President of the republic of Ghana, John Dramani Mahama, during an official meeting with the clergy on Tuesday, 1st, October, 2024 has outlined new policies to combat against illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey in Ghana.
According to the former president of Ghana, his government will identify mining concessions,and will protect the beneficial ones among them. Illegal miners will be held responsible and as a consequence concessions would be ceases from them.
He went further to reveal that his government when brought into power is going to introduce the blue water initiative to protect the country's water bodies, forest reserves and lands.
He also stated that his government is going to ban new mining leases that undermine the country's forest reserves, and also going to prohibit appointees from both legal and illegal mining. He noted that a government appointee can not work in office and mine at the same time, and so that government appointee, must choose between been in office or working in the mine.
Small scale concession holders under his second term, will be equipped with skills in modern mining methods. Again, a small portion of revenue of small-scale miners would be left to restore the land areas used by the small-scale miners. He noted that small-scale mining when done properly can enable the country progress.