'Galamsey' has caused lots of youth to be school dropouts - Kwesi Pratt Jnr

Seasoned journalist, Kwesi Pratt Jnr has called on the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel Abu Jinapor and the general public to vehemently fight the menace of illegal mining in the country.

Kwesi Pratt bemoaned the activities of illegal miners stressing they have been destroying the water bodies and forest reserves as well as polluting the environment where their activities are based.

Making submissions on Peace FM's ''Kokrokoo'', Kwesi Pratt pointed out how illegal mining, otherwise called galamsey, is impacting the youth of today.

''The youth who are to go to school to become our engineers, doctors, good lawyers, Members of Parliament and so forth in the future, today have lost interest in going to school. What are they going to school for? Why would the person spend two, seven to eight or 10/12 years and complete to receive 300 cedis a month when he or she can earn much here (illegal mining)?'', he stated.

Mr. Pratt asked Ghanaians to have a collective aim in addressing and stamping out illegal mining.

''As we have all accepted this is not good, we should come together and device ways to fight against this menace to help develop the country'', he also stressed.