Galamsey: Burning of excavators was not part of the recommendations – Inusah Fuseni

Former Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Alhaji Inusah Fuseini says the burning of excavators to fight the galamsey menace was not part of the three major recommendations made at the three-day stakeholders' consultative seminar which was recently held.

“Out of the recommendations, there was no burning of excavators,” he said.

Over 200 soldiers were deployed to guide water bodies and as well halt all mining activities in accordance with the fight against galamsey.

The team commenced the operation on Wednesday, April 28, 2021, on the River Pra in the Central and Western Regions.

Through the operation, about 30 excavators have been burnt.

The situation has left victims to their fate, while it has also generated a lot of arguments amongst the public.

Despite the agitations of the victims, government does not seem to bring a halt in the burning of excavators anytime soon.

Speaking with Ekourba Gyasi Simpremu on Atinka TV’s morning show, Ghana Nie, Alhaji Inusah Fuseini rather said the recommendations made was that all stakeholders in the mining sector, including chiefs will be engaged, that the miners will be made to obey the laws of the country as they mine and as well the localization of the fight.

“The burning of excavators was not in it. Because the law has stated how to deal with equipment that are used on illegal small scale mining sites,” he said.

He added that "They said they will turn all the recommendations into policies and send it to Cabinet for approval and that will become the policy for implementation to rid the mining sector of the illegalities and restore our water bodies and protect our forest cover.”

Per the burning of the excavators, Alhaji Inusah Fuseini said government was not going by the recommendations made by the stakeholders.

“For the engagement with stakeholders, you do not need to go to Cabinet for approval before you can start it. We all know that the Sector Minister has been touring mining sites to engage with the chiefs,” he said.

He added that, "For the enforcement of the laws, you do not wait for the police to come and arrest someone who is mining illegally, you have the power to arrest the person. You do not have to go cabinet for a policy before you do the arrest if someone is mining illegally,” he said.

Meanwhile, Alhaji Inusah Fuseini said the District Coordinators, DCEs, District BNI Officers, amongst others are already in the communities and therefore must be given directives to stop the illegal mining.

He said the recommendations could be implemented without going to Cabinet for it to be approved but because of sustainability, it had to be taken to parliament.