Government is resourcing the Ghana Geological Survey to undertake more geological operations in order to block out small-scale mining areas across the country.
The Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel Abu Jinapor, disclosed this when he spoke at a two-day transformational dialogue on small scale mining organised by the University of Energy and Natural Resources in Sunyani.
According to the Minister, this is to ensure the sustenance of small-scale mining.
“We are resourcing the Ghana Geological Survey to undertake more geological operations to block out areas of small-scale mining,” he announced. “We are doing this to ensure that small-scale mining becomes sustainable and responsible.”
The Minister also disclosed that government is putting in place stringent measures to deal with people who engage in illegal mining popularly known as ‘galamsey.’
“Those who have vowed to ignore all stringent measures and continue with the illegalities, we are strengthening the law enforcement regime by increasing the punishment for convicted persons engaged in illegal mining,” he warned.
For his part, the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Energy and Natural Resources, Professor Elvis Asare Bediako, empasised the role of the artisanal sub-sector in eradicating poverty.
“The artisanal sub-sector alone provides livelihoods of over 100 million jobs to people. The artisanal sub-sector has the potential to lift many rural people out of poverty,” he remarked.
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