The Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, who also doubles as the Caretaker Minister for Environment, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, has served notice to illegal miners that he is coming after them.
Within 72 hours of this announcement, training has commenced for thousands of security personnel who are to be deployed to over 44 to 50 flashpoints of illegal mining across the country. These men will be stationed at the flashpoints permanently on a rotational basis to avoid any familiarity.
As part of their training, all stakeholders such as the Forestry Commission, Minerals Commission, Lands Commission, and others will take turns to brief the men.
This initiative is being carried out under the auspices of NAIMOS as part of the planned strategies to combat galamsey.
President Mahama has, on countless occasions, stressed his position of not being against responsible small-scale mining but has strongly frowned upon illegal and irresponsible small-scale mining in water bodies and forest reserves.
It is in this light that his Minister, Armah-Kofi Buah, has initiated a letter to the Attorney General for a repeal of LI 2462 as an additional step to buttress the President’s directive not to issue any new mining licenses since assuming office on January 7, 2025.
