By Alex Baah Boadi, GNA
Sefwi -Juaboso, Feb. 21, GNA – The Resource Foundation Ghana, an NGO, has held a stakeholder engagement dialogue on illegal mining in selected communities within the Western North Region.
The dialogue, funded by the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives (CFLI), aimed to promote community-led action and institutional collaboration to combat illegal mining and prevent youth radicalissation.
The dialogue dubbed,“Empowering Communities and Media to Combat Illegal Mining and Prevent Youth Radicalisation,” would implement activities such as community sensitisation forum, radio talk shows, media capacity building workshops, and youth leadership training.
Mr. Mensah Elliot Steven, Executive Coordinator of the Resource Foundation Ghana, said the dialogue also sought to educate communities on the environmental and social impacts of illegal mining, examine youth vulnerability, and promote peaceful prevention strategies.
He highlighted issues identified, including river pollution, destruction of cocoa farms, deforestation, and abandoned pits posing safety risks.
He, therefore, appealed to authorities to strengthen joint monitoring, enforce land reclamation, and support farmers to rehabilitate cocoa farms.
Nana Kwabena Yeboah II, Chief of Abrokofe, lauded the NGO for the engagement, hoping it would deter farmers from selling their farms to illegal miners.
Some of participants called for measures to curb illegal mining to save the cocoa industry.
GNA
Edited by Justina Hilda Paaga/Linda Asante Agyei