The Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Mr Samuel Abu Jinapor has called on the National House of Chiefs to support the government’s effort to weed out illegal mining (galamsey) activities and sanitize the country’s small-scale mining sector.

He said given that traditional rulers were custodians of lands within their jurisdiction, their role in curbing the galamsey menace would be crucial.

"Illegal mining activities continues to degrade many farmlands, destroy our forest reserves and water bodies. We need your support, cooperation and partnership to efficiently manage the natural resources of our country," he said

Meeting with chiefs

The minister made that call at a meeting with members of the National House of Chiefs in Kumasi Thursday (May 20, 2021).

He was accompanied by the two Deputy Minister designate to the Lands Ministry, Mr Benito Owusu-Bio and Mr George Mireku Duker and some key officials from the ministry and its agencies.

Seventy-four members of the National House of Chiefs were present at the meeting.

They were led by the President of the House, Ogyeahoho Yaw Gyebi II.

Appeal

Mr Jinapor said the fight against illegal mining had got to the point where chiefs needed to rise and be counted to save the country's resources.

He said he was ready to cooperate with the chiefs to deal with the menace.

"We need to win this fight together because the beauty of any country is evident by its landscape and its forest and we cannot sit idle and lose it," he added.

Commitment

The chiefs declared their readiness to fully support the government in the renewed galamsey fight to protect the environment.

Ogyeahoho Gyebi II said they will support the government to curb illegal mining and also lead their subjects to plant trees on the Green Ghana Day to be held on June 11, 2021.