Illegal mining is a major problem to traditional medical practice - Kwesi Pratt

Managing Editor of the Insight newspaper, Kwesi Pratt has expressed disgust over the activities of illegal miners in the country.

Contributing to Peace FM's ''Kokrokoo'', Kwesi Pratt wondered why not much has been done to clamp down on illegal miners.

He recounted the dangers of illegal mining stressing one of the problems associated with this kind of mining, aside the pollution of the water bodies, is the destruction of the country's forest reserve.

"Can you imagine the number of unique plant species getting destroyed?" he questioned.

He told sit-in host Nana Yaw Kesseh that the illegal mining, popularly known as 'galamsey', is destroying the plants used for medicine and therefore spurred Samuel Abu Jinapor, Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, to do everything to end illegal mining in the country.

"We are destroying all our plants that we can use for medicine. It affects medical practice, the development of traditional medical practice. It's a major problem to the development of traditional medical practice," he said.