'Resist galamsey' – Minister charges residents after Samreboi submerged

Western Regional Minister, Joseph Nelson, has called on residents of Samreboi and surrounding communities to join the fight against illegal mining.

He warned that government alone cannot address the growing environmental destruction linked to galamsey activities.

The minister made the appeal during a visit to victims of the recent floods in Samreboi, where more than 1,340 people were displaced after the River Tano overflowed its banks, causing extensive damage to homes, farms and personal property.

Addressing affected residents, he expressed concern over the scale of destruction and linked the disaster to illegal mining activities taking place along the river body.

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He also stressed that local communities must take responsibility by reporting and resisting illegal mining operations in their areas.

"Government alone cannot deal with it. We'll have to rally everybody, including the media and community members, to come on board," he said.

He questioned why residents often remain silent when illegal mining activities are taking place in their communities, only to blame authorities after environmental disasters occur.

"When something is happening here and you don't rise up against it, how do we get it resolved?" he asked.

According to him, the devastating floods should serve as a wake-up call for communities to actively support efforts aimed at protecting water bodies from illegal mining.

"Together we have to stand up against illegal mining, especially on our river bodies, so that we're able to stem some of these happenings going into the future," he stated.

Nelson noted that the full extent of the destruction caused by the floods is yet to be determined, adding that many families have lost valuable possessions, homes and livelihoods.

"You cannot even quantify the damage that has been done to the individuals here in terms of their properties, their buildings and the items in them. Some perhaps have even lost money and a lot of things," he lamented.

He maintained that preventing future disasters would require a collective effort from government, community members, traditional authorities, the media and other stakeholders.

"How do we avoid these things? We can only avoid them if we take a firm decision. That decision government has already taken, but it will need the support of everybody," he added.

The floods, which affected several communities within the Samreboi enclave, have renewed concerns about the impact of illegal mining on water bodies and the environment, with calls growing for stronger enforcement measures to curb galamsey activities across the country.

ANAS/VPO

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