Galamsey fight won't be complete without review of mining laws - Kwesi Pratt

Kwesi Pratt Jnr., Managing Editor of the Insight newspaper, has called on government to review the laws governing the country's mining sector.

Speaking on 'Kokrokoo' on Peace FM, Kwesi Pratt noted that the fight against illegal mining won't be complete without the mining laws reviewed.

Mr. Pratt, addressing the illegal mining (galamsey) menace bemoaned the activities of the miners who he stressed are destroying the water bodies in the mining communities.

According to him, one of the difficulties in dealing with the galamsey operators is because the provisions of the laws are in it problematic.

He quoted portions of the mining laws, saying it allows the concessionaires "to take control of surface and underground water resources in the concession . . . It gives you permission to divert rivers, the mining law; to divert the course of rivers, to take control of surface and underground water. How? Why should it be?"

Mr. Pratt said if the concessionaires are given the right to, for instance, divert the rivers, the downstream communities will be majorly affected; hence the "mining law needs to be reviewed. If indeed we’re very serious about protecting our lands, our water bodies and so on, we have to review the mining law".