News:
February 15, 2023
Minister for Lands and Natural Resources Samuel Abu Jinapor has noted that the Sanitation and Water Resources Ministry has pointed out that Ghanas water bodies turbidity is gradually improving, with government interventions.
He noted that small scale illegal miners have polluted most of Ghanas water bodies forcing a number of cocoa farmers are sell out their cocoa farms to illegal miners for ready cash.
He made this remarks on the floor when he contributed to a statement on the floor of the House on Tuesday, February 14, 2023 on national chocolate day made by Dr. Isaac Yaw Opoku Member of Parliament for Offinso South.
And recounted that most of the contributors have talked about illegal mining and how its impacting on cocoa farming.
We all know the history of small scale mining in our country and how, we have promulgated laws to regulaise it and make that sector lawful, also attempts to build a small scale mining industry in our country and all the problems we have had. I want to assure the House that government is taking all measures to ensure that we sanities the sector; we regulaise this sector.
Mr. Abu Jinapor further noted that government has come to grips with the small scale mining to the extent that, government is working hard to ensure there is a responsible and vibrant small scale mining sector running concurrently with a reboots cocoa farming sector.
Where farmers would not sell their cocoa farms to illegal miners, therefore result in the lack of productivity and these fight. Mr. Speaker as you said should be a collective fight and should be from all sides of the House with stakeholders and citizens especially of mining communities.
Again, the President Nana Akufo-Addo is mindful of his legal and constitutional obligation and discharging this diligently and objectively. Under his watch the galamsey issues would be dealt with; galamsey and Ghanas cocoa farming would make a lot of progress.
Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com