The Member of Parliament for Suame, John Darko, has criticised the government’s efforts to tackle illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey, rating its performance in the fight against the menace at one out of ten.
Speaking on JoyNews’ The Pulse on Wednesday, July 15, the Minority’s Legal Counsel and Vice Chairman of Parliament’s Environment and Science Committee said there has been little improvement in the fight against illegal mining despite government’s assurances.
“There is nothing new about the NDC government’s fight against illegal mining. You don’t even ask me to score their fight against galamsey. You can ask Ghana Water Company Limited. Their main challenge is with galamsey. The water is still as dark as coffee. For me, I will score them 1/10 for the attempt,” Mr Darko said.
His comments come after the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, reaffirmed government’s commitment to fighting illegal mining during the Government Accountability Series on Wednesday.
The Minister acknowledged the difficulty of addressing the issue but said government was working with security agencies, state institutions and local communities to reclaim degraded lands, protect forest reserves and restore polluted water bodies.
Mr Armah-Kofi Buah maintained that government would not relent in its efforts to end illegal mining, warning that individuals and groups responsible for environmental destruction would face the full force of the law.
He stressed that protecting Ghana’s natural resources remains a national priority, with efforts ongoing to restore rivers, forests and mineral resources for future generations.
Source: adomonline.com
