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Head of Monitoring Unit at the Foresty Commission, Charles Owusu has called on Ghanaians to assist the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Abu Jinapor in his fight against illegal mining.

The Minister has had a stakeholder dialogue to find ways of addressing the menace of illegal mining and to ensure people operating in the mining sector do so with the right authorization.

He has also directed all persons and companies engaged in reconnaissance and/or prospecting in forest reserves, with or without legal authorization, to suspend such activities until further notice.

“The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources hereby directs persons and/or companies engaged in reconnaissance and/or prospecting in Forest Reserves, with or without legal authorization, to suspend such activities until further notice . . .The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources has further directed the Minerals Commission, with immediate effect, not to accept, process and/or recommend the grant, including the renewal and/or extension, of reconnaissance and prospecting licences in Forest Reserves,” a statement issued by the Minister read.

Discussing the mining issues on Peace FM's ''Kokrokoo'' programme, Charles Owusu called for a collective effort to nip the illegal mining (galamsey) in the bud.

He urged the citizenry and government to protect the country's waterbodies from pollution by illegal mining activities.

"Water is life. . . .  If nothing, if we can't do anything at all, we should protect our waterbodies."

He noted that Ghana's minerals are expected to be a blessing to the economy, so ''let's protect it so as not to turn into a curse on us".

"God gave us the minerals to be a blessing."