By Yussif Ibrahim / Charles Tawiah
Nkawie (Ash), March 21, GNA – President John Dramani Mahama warned members of his administration against participating in any type of mining activities, threatening dismissal for those who do so.
“I have directed that no government appointee at any level should engage in any form of legal or illegal mining.
"If your ambition is to become a miner, abandon government work and pursue mining instead," he stated during the inauguration of a land rehabilitation program at Nkawie within the Atwima Nwabiagya South Municipality.
He declared that nobody who was involved in mining activities would be allowed to join his administration simultaneously, which earned him loud cheers from the audience as they appreciated his strong position against illegal mining.
To emphasize his point, the President restated that any nominee who violates this instruction will encounter immediate and strict consequences, which may lead to their dismissal from their position.
The initiative known as 'Tree for Life Reforestation Project,' aimed at rejuvenating Ghana's depleted land areas, is part of the President's 120-day social pact with citizens of Ghana.
The Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources is spearheading this initiative as an integral component of their comprehensive landscape restoration efforts aimed at rejuvenating and utilizing natural resources effectively.
It would largely focus on areas which have been heavily degraded by illegal mining and other drivers of deforestation.
President Mahama stated that he had directed security and regulatory bodies to step up their efforts against unauthorized mining activities.
He said seven out of nine “no go zone” forest reserves, which were under siege by illegal miners had been successfully reclaimed and that the relevant authorities were on course to reclaim the remaining two.
In the course of the operations, authorities confiscated 55 excavators, three bulldozers, three pickup trucks, four pump-action rifles, and eleven motorcycles, as revealed by the President.
He stated that the Tree of Life Reforestation Initiative marked a significant milestone in environmental conservation, emphasizing that the administration was dedicated to restoring damaged areas.
He pointed out that illegal mining had turned into a nationwide emergency, posing risks to Ghana's economy, public health, and overall lifestyle.
"Farmers are losing their lands, rivers are becoming brown and contaminated due to pollution, and whole communities are facing the consequences," the President expressed sorrowfully.
Mr. Emmanuel Armah Kofi Buah, the Minister responsible for Lands and Natural Resources, stated that Ghana has experienced a rapid decline in its forest coverage, posing a significant risk to the fundamental stability of the ecosystem.
He mentioned that this initiative arises during a critical period marked by the pressing necessity to tackle environmental issues like illicit mining activities, forest destruction, and global warming.
“The initiative aims at converting severely degraded regions into thriving ecosystems that enhance biodiversity and support human livelihoods,” said the Minister.
He mentioned that the program aimed not only at boosting environmental consciousness regarding the significance of tree planting but also at improving biodiversity via ecosystem rehabilitation.
GNA
KOM/KOA
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