Dormaahene, Osagyefo Oseadeeyo Agyeman Badu II, says illegal small-scale mining, popularly known as galamsey, has reduced since the beginning of President John Dramani Mahama’s administration, but insists the fight is not yet over.
Addressing journalists after being sworn in as one of 21 new Justices of the Court of Appeal on Thursday, the traditional leader said that although galamsey predates the current government, recent interventions have slowed its spread.
“I have been on this stool for almost 26 and a half years. Galamsey, the illegal mining, did not start yesterday; it’s been with us for some time. If you ask me about my assessment, I will say now it is going down,” he said.
He credited the improvement to tougher enforcement measures and fresh community-based strategies, observing that operators who once worked with impunity are no longer as visible.
“You know why I am saying that? If you look at some of the steps that have been taken, before we were not hearing about the blue waterguards and all that. Before this regime came I know for a fact because of the work that I do nine forest reserves had been taken over. Now that situation had been curbed,” he explained.
Despite these gains, the Dormaahene cautioned against complacency, stressing that galamsey still exists and requires consistent government and community action.
“I wouldn’t stand here and say galamsey is gone; it is still with us, but I believe that if you look at the seriousness. We should ensure that we nip this situation in the bud,” he said.
He further warned that in Dormaa, there would be zero tolerance for illegal mining, pledging to personally arrest offenders and hand them over to the police for prosecution.
The chief appealed to Ghanaians to protect the nation’s natural resources and heritage.
“This is the only thing our ancestors left for us so we don’t have to destroy our water bodies, cocoa farms and ensure that we do farming in the right way so we can all be happy,” he added.
Source: Adomonline
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