By: tntnewspapergh.com

The Ashanti Regional Organiser for the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr. Francis Adomako, has appealed to all Ghanaians, especially those in mining communities, to support the government’s renewed fight against illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey.

According to him, the government alone cannot fight this canker, for which reason it needs the support of all and sundry to succeed.

“I’m, therefore, making a passionate appeal to all Ghanaians, especially people in mining communities, to be watchdogs in order to help the deployed security personnel to flash out those destroying our water bodies and forest reserves,” he stressed.

Francois

Dr. Adomako, who is also the Dean of all Regional Organisers, made the call in an interview with “The New Trust” newspaper on Monday, 14th October 2024.

The Ashanti Regional NPP Organiser, who is known in the political space as Francois, said the NPP government led by Nana Akufo-Addo/Bawumia was highly committed to ensuring the protection of our forest reserves and preventing illegal miners from destroying the water bodies across the country.

It would be recalled that following several calls, including threats from Organised Labour to declare a nationwide strike if the government fails to act on their demand to stop galamsey, President Akufo-Addo has announced punitive measures against galamsey.

The new measures include: directing soldiers and other law enforcement agencies to flush out illegal miners from water bodies and forest reserves which remain “red zones” to mining activities.

President Akufo-Addo also directed that immediate steps be taken to revoke the Environmental Protection (Mining in Forest Reserves) Regulations, 2023 (L. I. 2462), when Parliament reconvenes this month, among other measures

Francois, therefore, advised the deployed security personnel to be circumspect in their operations in order not to create disaffection.

Those who may be wrongly affected as a result of measures to clamp down on illegal mining should channel their grievances through appropriate quarters for redress.

“Let’s all join the efforts to fight against galamsey to make our water bodies clean and protect our forest reserves,” he added.