Youth shun revenue collection for galamsey

Some unemployed youth in the Kwaebibirem and Denkyembuor districts have rejected the opportunity offered them to be revenue collectors, with the reason that the remunerations are too small to suffice them.

Rather, they have resorted to illegal mining; popularly called Galamsey, which they claim gives them more money.

More than 100 youth who were employed with the two district assemblies left the job unannounced and ran to their “new found job.”

This forced the assemblies to go round searching and begging for other youth to be employed as revenue collectors, but they also jilted the offer.

Mr Reginald Agyare Osae, Kwaebibirem District Chief Executive and his counterpart from Denkyembuor, Mr Kweku Ofori-Abrokwa, made this known to Ghana News Agency.

They said the situation is greatly affecting the two assemblies since their outfits were unable to raise revenue to embark on more developmental projects.

The assemblies are also unable to collect property rates, due to the fact that most of the people are peasant farmers who virtually have no property to be taxed.

Ms Helen Adjoa Ntoso, Eastern Regional Minister, who visited the two districts on a familiarisation tour, said the situation is worrying and needs immediate attention.

She tasked the two District Assemblies to form Galamsey Task Force and organise frequent swoops on the illegal miners.

Ms Ntoso said her outfit would ensure that galamsey look unpleasant to the illegal miners, stressing: “We are going to start prosecuting them seriously so that when..they are offered decent jobs, they will cling to them rather than going to do illegal mining.”