Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, has issued a strong warning to illegal miners, urging them to stop polluting Ghana’s rivers or face serious consequences
Illegal miners operating along Ghana’s vital waterways have been put on notice. Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, has delivered a stern warning: cease polluting the nation’s rivers or be prepared to face severe repercussions.
“We are sending a warning to anybody who has been violating our laws and destroying our water bodies. We are determined to turn them blue again. This order has already been given—stay out, or you do so at your own peril,” Buah declared during an anti-galamsey patrol with officers from the National Anti-illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) along the heavily polluted Ankobra River, stretching from Wiawso to Akango in the Nzema East Municipality of the Western Region.
Minister Buah emphasized that Ghana’s approach to illegal mining, especially activities in and around river bodies, is entering a decisive new phase. “We are moving to another major phase of our fight against illegal mining. There is no law in Ghana that allows anybody to mine in any river body,” he stressed. “Yet, our major rivers that are key to our survival are being destroyed.”
He further noted that President John Dramani Mahama has directed security forces to take full control of all major river bodies as part of a robust new enforcement strategy. “In the coming months, you will see a new shift. President Mahama’s focus is clear—we are going to take direct control of every river body. There will be a clear occupation by our security forces on all the major rivers,” Buah stated.
The message from the Minister is unambiguous: illegal miners must abandon their operations in Ghana’s rivers or face the full force of the law, as the government intensifies efforts to restore and protect the country’s precious water resources.
Source: Apexnewsgh.com
