Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah Kofi Buah has disclosed that nine forest reserves have been encroached upon by illegal miners.
According to the minister, the Forestry Commission’s access to the said reserves have been blocked by the illegal miners. He was in parliament to report to the House about the current state of the fight against unsanctioned mining activities in the country. Emmanuel elaborated on the devastating situation, which is destroying lands and water bodies in significant proportions.
“Ghana is currently faced with an unprecedented threat to our forest resources and water bodies due largely to illegal, small-scale mining activities, this situation has assumed crisis proportions,” he said.
Out of the forty-four (44) forest reserves in the country, nine have become inaccessible to the forestry commission, as they have been taken over by illegal mining thugs.
“Over nine out of the 44 forest reserves have been completely taken over by these illegal mining thugs with impunity. The Forestry Commission no longer has access to these forest reserves,” he said in parliament on Tuesday, February 19.
However, the minister, who has just assumed office, has assurred the house of his unrelentless fight against the menace.
Illegal mining activities has become one of Ghana’s biggest problems, as sources of water and fertility of lands are threathened. The illegal act has caused the pollution of various water bodies.
The issue of mining in forest reserve became a huge concern when parliament passed a Legislative Instrument (LI) which now legalizes mining in forest reserves. This sparked outrage amongst various environmental agencies, with all calling for the decision to be rescinded. Many have argued that the LI legalizing mining in forest reserves makes it difficult to fight against illegal mining activities. Also, some have opined that until such a LI is revoked, Ghana could lose all of its forest reserves in the near future.
Meanwhile, farmers in the cocoa industry have been destroying their cocoa farms just to sell the lands to illegal miners for what they describe as better profits. As a result, Ghana’s cocoa production rates in recent years have taken a nosedive.
Perpetrators of illegal mining, which usually features Chinese nationals and some Ghanaians are granted bail. Reports say these same people are seen later at the mining sites. This has fueled calls for the security services to crack down on prominent persons who could be behind the illegal activity.
Poised to maintain its status as the second largest producer of cocoa in the world, Ghana will have to provide robust solutions to the griveous problem.
Source: Dehotpress
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