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As part of efforts to find a lasting solution to the pollution of our river bodies, the government has procured and will from next month deploy patrol boats to protect our water bodies from illegal mining activities popularly known as “galamsey”.
Lands and Natural Resources Minister, Samuel Abu Jinapor who made this known at the Ministry of Information’s regular press briefing platform on Wednesday, July 20, 2022, said the deployment of the patrol boats is parts of the host of measures by the government to address the menace that has for so long bedeviled the mining sector of the country
“To find a more lasting solution to the pollution of our river bodies, I am happy to announce that the Ministry has procured five patrol boats, which will be used by the security services to patrol and protect our rivers. By next month, these boats will be deployed to Rivers Ankobrah, Prah, Birim and the Black Volta,” he said.
He said government would not stand aloof for illegal miners to devastate our water bodies and hence is taking drastic measures to address the menace.
Part of the measures to addressing the menace he said is a ban on the manufacture and sale of the floating platform, popularly referred to as “Changfan” by government, and it is in the process of amending Act 703 to expand, legally, the scope of this ban.
Additionally, he said government has recruited more mine inspectors and has resourced the Minerals Commission to undertake effective regulation while also continuing with military operations to halt the wanton destruction of our environment and water bodies.
Mr. Jinapor underscored the need to ensure that mining activities are carried out in a safe manner. As a result, he said government in accordance with section 92 of the Minerals and Mining Act, 2006 (Act 703), has established Small Scale Mining Committees in the various mining districts, to assist the District Offices of the Minerals Commission to effectively monitor, promote and develop mining operations in their jurisdictions.
He said so far, seventy (70) of these committees have been inaugurated in the various mining districts, and thirteen (13) more Committees in the Savannah, North East, Upper West and Upper East Regions, are due to be inaugurated in Bolgatanga. This will be the first time since the enactment of Act 703 in 2006, that Small Scale Mining Committees have been established in all the mining districts of the country.
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