Suhuyini accuses government for abandoning fight against illegal mining

The Ranking Member on the Lands and Natural Resources Committee of Parliament, Alhassan Suhuyini, has accused the Akufo-Addo-led government of abandoning the fight against illegal mining activities otherwise known as galamsey in the country.

According to a report on citinewsroom.com, the Tamale North MP expressed scepticism about the government's ability to fight illegal mining activities popularly referred to as galamsey in the country citing the seeming involvement of government officials, which he believes undermines the fight against the menace.

“No proper scrutiny and supervision is done. These people just engage in the destruction of their forests and land that is allocated to them. So I’m not surprised that it is happening in Konongo.”

He added “I’m not surprised that it is happening in the Upper East. I’m not surprised that it’s happening even in the Savannah region, around the Bole-Bamboi areas, where people are given these parcels of land because of their affiliation to the New Patriotic Party without any supervision, without any training, and they just engage in destruction.

“It is evidence of the fact that this government has simply checked out from the pretentious fight that they started because they have seen clearly that people have seen through the façade.”

He also alleged that community mining initiatives are used to provide jobs for affiliates of the New Patriotic Party.

“Look at how the community mining is done across the country. It is preserved or reserved as jobs for their boys in the various communities where mining takes place.”

His comments follow reports of active mining activities on the main Kumasi-Accra highway, which has polluted the Owere River, a vital source of water for communities in Konongo and surrounding areas.

The Environmental Protection Agency and officials from the Minerals Commission claim they were only informed about a dredging exercise by the Asante Akim Central Assembly but say they are unaware of illegal mining activities on the highway.

JKB/ ADG

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