‘NPP won’t abolish mining’ - Akufo-Addo

The President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has vowed that his government would not allow foreigners to engage in small scale mining activities in the country.

According to him, stringent measures are being put in place to ensure that only local miners do small scale mining in Ghana.

He has therefore debunked the erroneous impression that his fiat against galamsey amounted to the ban of mining in Ghana.

“It is not true, NPP will not abolish mining which is one of the oldest economic activities in Ghana”, he assured.

Addressing the chiefs and people of Tarkwa, a mining town in the Western Region, President Akufo-Addo explained that his government’s fight against galamsey was not meant to render Ghanaians jobless but to ensure safe mining.

He stressed that his government would purge the country of the practice blamed for the pollution of water bodies.

“I have not yet met anyone in the country who is satisfied with the degradation of our land, our environment and water bodies as a result of illegal mining”, he noted.

Ghana’s water bodies and forests have borne the brunt of the destructive activities of illegal miners.

The River Pra and Ankobrah in the Western Region have been muddied to the extent that government had to purify them at a cost.

The President explained that although his government would allow small-scale mining in the country, it will have to be done in a safe manner.

“We hold the land in trust for generations yet unborn,” he said, adding his government is arranging for small scale mining to be done in a more sustainable way.

The President told the people of Tarkwa that the current NPP government was planning to establish a gold refinery in the area to help process gold and create jobs for the youth.

He assured the people that the Ministry of Trade and Industry is putting appropriate measures in place to revive the defunct Bonsa Tyre Factory and the Aboso Glass Factory.

He also promised that the main Takoradi-Tarkwa road which is currently in a deplorable state would be rehabilitated by his government.

He, therefore, appealed to the people of Tarkwa-Nsuaem to continue to support the government for more development projects.