Okyenhene Osagyefuo Amoatia Ofori Panin has called for one year ban on the mining sector to enable reforms into regulations and licensing.
The overlord of Akyem Abuakwa explains that the fight against illegal mining should be holistic to include a review of license, regulations, and supervision.
“Let’s stop it for proper licensing. So left to me alone, Abu, mining is banned for a year. Shut it down for investigation and proper supervisory, and resource the regulatory agency so that we do it”
According to Okyenhene, the ban on both small and large scale mining will also help the regulatory bodies to inspect and review licenses issued to both small and large scale mining companies.
“As it now we don’t know who has small scale mining, we don’t know who has large scale mining. The Public needs to know so that is clear and publish the names and the companies who have been licensed properly. Because we cannot be in the middle of a war, we cannot find these things when we are fighting it So if the law goes that everybody should shut down then we begin to find out who has been properly licensed, who has a prospecting license, who has recognizance license, who has a digging license and who has a proper license before we can start” Okyenhene said
He said this Thursday, May 27, 2021, when the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources Samuel Abu Jinapor and his entourage paid a courtesy call on him at the Ofori Panin Fie in Kyebi as part of his tour in the region.
He suggested for the reforms to include chiefs in the processes of licensing.
The overlord of Akyem Abuakwa Traditional area said for the fight against illegal mining to be successful, there is the need for a permanent military base in all mining districts to sustain the clamping down of recalcitrant who sneak to work at night.
“If you don’t have permanent occupancy of the Soldiers by the time you go to the exercise they would go back. They are so notorious and hard to heal that they will go back. So we need permanent occupancy. The water that we drink, the food that we eat, the air that breathes are all being affected “.
The Minister of Lands and Natural Resources said the support of traditional rulers is crucial to the fight against galamsey because they are the major custodians of the land.
Source: Mybrytfmonline.com/Obed Ansah
