Together with his Deputy Ministers and the Deputy Minister for Information, Lands and Natural Resources Minister, Samuel Abu Jinapor paid a working visit to the Operation Halt II team at Datano in the Amansie South District of the Ashanti Region.
The purpose of the visit was to encourage the team and reassure them of the commitment and support of President Akufo-Addo and his Government to the fight against illegal mining.
The minister was pleased to learn that the team was able to make some arrests, seize excavators and other mining equipment, which have been handed over to the police, and decommissioned those that could not be moved.
Those arrested will be prosecuted, and if found culpable, will be made to face the full rigours of the law.
Later, the minister again met with Regional Ministers, Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives from the major mining areas of our country.
He charged them to lead the fight against illegal mining in their various jurisdictions, as the Regional and District Security Councils continue to be responsible for law enforcement in their jurisdictions.
“The fight against illegal mining is a collective one and requires the cooperation of all citizens, particularly the members of the local communities. Excavators cannot be moved to the forests on the blind side of all the security apparatus, Chiefs and people in the community. Government, through the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, is committed to this fight but requires the support of all citizens to come to grips with this matter” the minister added.
Source: Mybrytnewsroom.com/Kwabena Nyarko Abronoma
