The government of Ghana has announced measures to combat the illegal mining activities, locally known as galamsey, amid demonstrations by some disgruntled Ghanaians.
According to graphic.com.gh, military personnel will be deployed to various water bodies and forest reserves that have been marked as 'red zones' to deal with illegal miners ruthlessly.
Additionally, President has called for immediate steps to be taken to revoke the Environmental Protection (Mining in Forest Reserves) Regulations, 2023 (L.I. 2462), when Parliament reconvenes.
Speaking in an interview, the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel Abu Jinapor, shed light on the measures, assuring that they would be implemented as soon as possible. "Water bodies and forest reserves remain red zones for mining, and all forms of mining in water bodies, as well as reconnaissance, prospecting, exploration, and/or small-scale mining in forest reserves remain banned," he said.