The Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, John Jinapor has admitted that there is more to be done in the mining sector inspite of government’s efforts to improve the sector.
It would be recalled that the government in a quest to salvage the country’s resources which were being destroyed, put in some reforms and enforcement mechanisms to regulate the activities of the miners, including removing persons and equipment from unapproved zones and punishing offenders according to the laws of the country.
In an interview monitored by Angelonline.com.gh on Ghana Television (GTV) on Tuesday January 18, 2022, Samuel Abdulai Jinapor said Government is yet to rid the menace completely from the country.
“We are not out of the woods yet. We have not gotten to a satisfactory situation yet. We have not gotten to the situation where we can say we have a full grip on illegal mining in our country,” the Minister said.
To him, the expectation that the government will be able to curb the menace within a decade is idealistic.
His comment stems from the realisation that there has been constant change in operations of the illegal miners to counter the efforts of government at controlling their activities and in the long run their monetary gains.
The measures which have been instituted by the Government through the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources and its agencies, he noted, would not be neglected to reinvigorate the miners to engage in the destructive activity.
“All the measures we are putting in place are going to be sustained; we are not going to relent.
“In the past, you have the measures put in place and the momentum wanes and the people look away then there is a resurgence in the illegal small scale mining.
“We are going to be relentless, totally committed and this year 2022. All the measures we put place, we are going to enhance them and wrap them up and hopefully in the near future we should be able to come to grips with the situation.”
The Damango Constituency Representative in Parliament said the government would not give up in the fight because the natural resources “constitutes the country”.
He added that it is why “since 1969 all our Constitutions have had a whole chapter dedicated to the lands and natural resources of our country”.
