The Lands and Mineral Resources minister Peter Amewu has been asked to resign after the collapse of a mining pit in Prestea Nsuta which has some 17 persons trapped after more than 48 hours.
Minority member of the Mines and Energy Committee of Parliament Adam Mutawakilu told Joy News Tuesday, "he has not been able to perform to the satisfaction that Ghanaians expected and therefore he should go out".
The NDC Damongo MP said African leaders must learn from international practice to honorably resign in the wake of government ineffectiveness. He said the tragedy exposes government's failed efforts in fighting against illegal mining. For more than three months, the NPP government has embarked on flushing out illegal miners responsible for massive environmental degradation.
The minister has toured damaged land masses, screamed at lazy mines inspectors and criticized the Minerals Commission.He issued an ultimatum to illegal miners to stop in three weeks or face the law. Hundreds of excavators have been seized.
But last Sunday's tragedy brings the fight against the menace under fresh scrutiny. The pits, hand dug, is said to be 80 feet deep. There is scant regard for safety.
"...They just dig and as they go they use wooden props", deputy Lands and Natural Resources minister Benito-Owusu-Bio told Joy News Tuesday. He said the disaster happened after the illegal miners carried out an unplanned dynamite blast whilst their colleagues were inside the pit.
The NDC MP Adam Mutawakilu has described the tragedy as a "big slap" on the face of the Lands and Natural Resources minister Peter Amewu."He gave an ultimatum that come this day there will not be galamsey in Ghana and we are hearing of not only galamsey but it is even killing our people"
The Ranking member of the Mines and Energy Committee said Amewu must be blamed for the failure of institutions under the Ministry.
He also believes government's fight against the menace has been simplistic. "If you are a minister and you only go round and think that that going round is enough then we are deceiving ourselves" he said.
But deputy Lands and Natural Resources minister Benito-Owusu-Bio has rubbished the NDC MP's call. He said the NPP has achieved in six months what the former NDC government failed to do in 8 years.
Rejecting the view that the fight against illegal mining has been simplistic, the deputy minister said government has three plans to address the menace.
The plan A has been to sensitize the public, followed by a military taskforce to clamp down on the activity and finally, a Multilateral Mining Integrated Programme which will reclaim the damaged lands and also to provide alternative job opportunities for the miners.
Source: Joy News
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M SHOCK THIS MP IS COMING FROM THE NORTH THE JIDA AND THOSE PROJECT FOR THE NORTH WHICH MY PRESIDENT JOHN MAHAMA WASTED THE FUNDS THROUGH CORRUPTION DID YOU INFORM HIM TO RESIGNED THE MESS OUR PARTY HAS DONE TO THIS COUNTRY AM ASHAMED TO BE CALLED NDC MEMBER J.J. KILLED PEOPLE JUST TO BRING SUCH MP
Honourable MP Mutawakilu, please l am building an !-i-d-i-0-t-!, can l please borrow your brain? What a pudding head!
Laughable
Xtuuupid MP did tiveman ex-president jdm resign when Ghanaian citizens died at cirle through fire outbreak....thiiink before you talk next time.....
***barred word*** MP did tiveman John Dramani Mahama ex-president resign when 100 and so lost their life in the fire outbreak at circle...
What kind of imbiciles have been voted into parliament as ndc parliaments. Very puerile arguments with seriuosly flawed logic garnished with fantasy and pristine unadulterated lies,is their stack in trade!!! what the f**k is wrong with some Ghanaians
Where was this man when his president John Mahama collected bribe from the Burkinabe? Was he in the country when Mahama inflated the price of the planes he was asked to go and buy? You people saw nothing wrong with these. Try to behave like a reasonable opposition member.
THIS NDC MAN KORAAA, IS HE CORRECT? PLS CAN'T YOU THINK A BIT LIKE ANY OTHER LIVING THING?
The NDC guys in parliament are just confused and blowing hot air. I am so disappointed in them.
The mediocrity exhibited by these NDC MPS is becoming a nuisance!Did Mutawakilu expect that everyone will stop galamsey just because a new minister comes and says so? And if people choose to go and mine gold in small pits which collapse on them, a minister must resign? Was he the one who sent them? When they chose to go into those pits at night did they not know the risks?