We Will Chase GALAMSEY Barons – Abu Jinapor
The minister of Lands and Natural Resources ,Hon Samuel Abu Jinapor has indicated that henceforth, government is determined to chase both foreign and local financiers who buy machinery and equipment for poor youngsters to engage in illegal mining in the country. Addressing the Media at the Information Ministry press centre to give an update of the new ways of fighting the galamsay menace destroying the country, he did not mince words on the urgent need to curb the problem of GALAMSEY.
Mr Jinapor intimated that government will search for two groups of people to fix the GALAMSEY challenge ; those foreign financiers who hire local agents like Aisha Huang and buy them equipments for their operations and Ghanaian business Kingpins who are also in the same galamsey business. The intention is to cut the source of sponsorship and financing the projects . He told the Press that in order to win the war against the GALAMSEY such sources must be de- linked to disable the operations of the persons involved. The minister disclosed that the fight against GALAMSEY is going to be intensified in the days ahead relentlessly and government intends to succeed in the fight. He outlined new methodology that gives the military the discretion to deal with defaulters based on the commanders set of rules and standards .
On this score no commander must work to anyone’s rule or instruction and is accountable to his own deeds and actions. He asked the soldiers not to listen to any counter instructions and ignore any interference from anybody or quarter . The minister introduced the Operation Halt 2 team and their mandate and responsibilities He recollected the meetings the president had with National house of Chiefs and MMDCEs to help in fighting the menace because it’s a national issue . He announced that henceforth every miner who gets concession for mining should report himself to the mining committee in the district to be ratified and certified before he will be allowed into his concession.
He therefore called for a halt of all mining activities in those enclaves till the way is cleared. The minister also spoke about the amendments of mining offences law that have been revised with more punitive levels without any option of fine for foreigners and indigenes .
He called on the Media to reach out to the people to be educated and see the danger of GALAMSEY because it is beset with all kinds of incurable diseases. He reiterated that everybody in the country should support the government to wage the GALAMSEY war to rid our rivers of pollution and destruction. He indicated that the government is doing its best but the general public must all help to win the fight. He opined that the GALAMSEY menace happens in all mining countries and ours is no exception but that should not disable us to fight it.
