DCE urges community mining scheme to tackle galamsey activities in Banda District

By Dennis Peprah, GNA 

Banda, (Bono), Oct. 6, GNA – Mr Peter Dongi, the Banda District Chief Executive in the Bono Region called on the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources (MLNR) and the Minerals Commission to design a community mining scheme to stem the growing illegal mining activities in the district. 

He acknowledged the contributions of small-scale mining towards job creation and building local economic growth and sustainable development. 

Mr Dongi emphasised that with the community mining scheme, more of the unemployed youth in the area could get decent jobs. 

That will greatly tackle the growing illegal mining activities in the district and thereby stem wanton destruction of the vegetative and forest covers and water bodies. 

Nonetheless, Mr Dongi told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in an interview that the MLNR and the Commission must do more, disallowing companies from mining around water bodies and forest reserves. 

He said the two state institutions ought to formulate and enforce rigid regulatory frameworks that restricted mining companies from encroaching forest reserves. 

Mr Dongi commended the MLNR for “declaring forests and rivers as security zones”, as the nation intensified the fight against illegal mining. 

“The Ministry must also define new and protected mining zones”, he stated, urging it to train and sensitize small-scale miners on the effects of the use of mercury for gold processing, as well as land reclamation methods. 

Mr Dongi stressed the Assembly commitment to tackle illegal mining in the district, and called for stakeholder support, urging traditional authorities and community members to rise up in the fight against the menace. 

GNA 
Edited by Dennis Peprah/Kenneth Odeng Adade