The Eastern Regional Minister, Rita Akosua Adjei Awatey, has given District Chief Executives (DCEs) a two-week ultimatum to profile all miners and financiers in their jurisdictions.
The directive aims to identify legitimate miners and clamp down on illegal mining activities, particularly in river bodies and forest reserves.
The Minister issued the directive during a crucial meeting with Municipal and District Chief Executives, NDC constituency executives, and other key stakeholders in Koforidua.
The meeting forms part of the government’s efforts to tackle the galamsey menace, following President John Mahama’s recent meeting with civil society organisations.
Mrs. Awatey emphasised the government’s resolve to enforce mining laws, stating, “Illegal mining is not just a regional issue — it is a national and environmental problem, and the nation is not taking it kindly at all.” She charged DCEs to profile all mining centers and their owners, warning that anyone operating illegally would face the full rigor of the law.
The Regional Minister directed miners operating along water bodies and in forest areas to vacate such zones within two weeks.
“We are using the two weeks to profile all the mining centers… We have laws that regulate mining, and we must make sure they are enforced. Water areas and forest reserves are no-go zones, and anyone who ignores this will face prosecution,” she stressed.
Mrs. Awatey commended the participation of party executives, traditional leaders, and local authorities in the meeting, saying their collaboration is crucial in enforcing by-laws and national regulations on mining across the Eastern Region. The profiling exercise, which begins immediately, is expected to inform a comprehensive regional operation against illegal mining after the two-week deadline.
Story By Anne-Marie Deedei Ayerson
