The Minister-designate for Environment, Science and Technology, Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings, has stressed the need for closer collaboration among state institutions to curb illegal mining and its devastating effects on the environment and human health.
Appearing before Parliament’s Appointments Committee on Thursday, August 27, she said the battle against illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey, must be treated as an “all-of-government and all-of-society imperative.”
She noted that strong synergy among Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) was crucial to tackling the menace and preventing duplication of efforts.
According to her, galamsey operations occur largely within the local governance structure, hence coordination with decentralised bodies such as the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) was vital.
She further called for consistent reporting on anti-galamsey interventions to enhance transparency and allow government to measure the effectiveness of measures being rolled out.
Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings indicated that, if confirmed by Parliament, one of her immediate priorities would be to meet ministers whose mandates relate directly to the fight against illegal mining.
“The fight against illegal mining and the subsequent damage it does to the environment and human life are an all-of-government and all-of-society imperative. I do believe that the easiest way to address it is to have effective coordination between the Ministries, Departments and Agencies.“
Should I get the approval from this Committee and the House, I would want to sit with the relevant ministers of the various ministries that have an interest in the fight, which would range from the Lands as well as the Local Government, to ensure that we are all on the same page, to avoid the silo effect,” she stated.
She said such engagements would lay the foundation for a unified strategy and ensure all relevant institutions pursue a shared goal.
She added that she would work closely with the EPA to get a comprehensive briefing on the current state of affairs and ongoing interventions.
