The Lands and Natural Resources Minister says the illegal small scale miners who have vanished from the mining sites in the wake of the anti-galamsey campaign will not be allowed to return.
John Peter Amewu said his ministry will keep sustained vigilance on the sites that have become notorious for galamsey activities.
He gave the assurance Wednesday in an interview with Joy News' Evans Mensah on Newsnite.
The assurance comes on the final day of a 21-day ultimatum issued for the illegal small scale miners to vacate the sites and to end the indiscriminate mining which has left the water bodies in mining areas completely polluted.
The activities of the illegal small scale miners have been a source of concern to many including government and other civil society organisations.
A visit to the illegal small-scale mining areas in the Ashanti and Central regions shows a heartbreaking situation of many degraded lands and polluted rivers.
Over 20,000 illegal small scale miners some of whom are Chinese and other nationals have religiously plundered the country's natural resources and left the environment endangered.
It is feared Ghana may soon be importing water if the current state of water pollution by illegal small scale miners is not addressed.
Early this year, there are has been a concerted fight against the illegal small scale mining, a fight which has seen the media, government and other civil society groups playing a key role.
The Lands and Natural Resources Minister have toured most of the mining sites including Akwatia, Kyebi to inspect the situation following the 21-day ultimatum.
He reported the situation as "encouraging" adding over 500 excavators have been abandoned by the illegal small scale miners.
He said there is the likelihood of the illegal miners returning to the sites but warned there will be a strict enforcement of the laws to ward off such miscreants.
John Peter Amewu said they have had thorough discussions with people within mining communities and have assured them persons hitherto engaged in illegal mining will be provided an alternative livelihood activities to prevent them from returning to the sites.
Source: myjoyonline
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Nothing has changed. we wonder how slavery happened in Ghana centuries ago. How selfish Ghanaians sold their own kind for wine and material things. Today Ghana, we elect ministers, deputy ministers,appoint civil servants and their assistants as custodians all of whom are rewarded heavily by the poor Ghanaians with ex gratia. only for them to sell once again our lands and our source of well being ie. vegetation,forestry, destroy water bodies and pollute our environments by foreigners for the same old wine and material things on top of what they already have. i always say Ghanaians are not angry enough, cos countries that have had it have all hit the road for real change not this so so all talk with no action. as my European friend once said to me. it is a luxury to be a minister in ghana
Blame the greedy, corrupt and incompetent John Mahama and his NDC govt for doing nothing about this galamsey issue.