Government committed to ending Galamsey menace for the bigger interest – President
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has assured Ghanaians that his government would continually work towards the elimination of illegal miners (galamsey operators) from the mineral extraction business for the common good of Ghanaians.
He said the Brim, Densu, Ankobra and Bonsa rivers, which served as sources of drinking water for many communities had all been heavily polluted by illegal miners who operated haphazardly.
“The Government cannot continue to sit aloof and watch these miners destroy farmlands, crops, forest reserves and water bodies, which their forefathers had preserved,” the President stated.
Nana Akufo-Addo said these at the forecourt of the Tarkwa Community Centre when he visited the people of Tarkwa Nsuaem as part of his three-day-tour of the Western Region to express appreciation to them for their support during the 2016 General Election.
He said the Government had already introduced the Multilateral Integrated Mining Project to help small-scale miners go about their work decently without causing danger to the environment.
The President stated the mining regulation permitted only Ghanaians to engage in small scale mining, but not foreigners.
“Don’t let Ghanaians be used as front men by foreigners to do an activity solely meant for Ghanaians,” he warned.
He assured the people of Tarkwa Nsuaem that his Government, before the end of its four-year term, would construct a gold refinery at Tarkwa and also rehabilitate the Tarkwa to Benso Road.
On the Bonsa Tyre Factory and Aboso Glass Factory, which have been abandoned for years, the President said that both projects would be revived to create employment.
Nana Akufo-Addo emphasised that the “One Constituency One Million” commitment he made during the election period would be fulfilled; and added that the team working on the project had submitted their report and disbursement would begin soon.
Mr. Joe Ghartey, the Minister of Railways Development, for his part, said the Ministry would treat the 54-kilometrr Railway line between Kojokrom and Tarkwa as a special project under the Western Railways line that the Government was constructing, explaining that, it would be awarded as a ‘stand alone contract.’
“We shall revive Tarkwa again and one of the pillars for the revival would be the rail sector,” he added.
Mr. Kwaku Afriyie, the Western Regional Minister, said the Government planned to rehabilitate the poor road networks within the Municipality because it was an industrial hub.
He stated that the University of Mines and Technology (UMaT) in Tarkwa had a lot of potential, especially for the West African sub region, to be maximised for national development.
The Government would, therefore, invest in UMaT to help it deliver on its mandate.
Nana Adu Panyin II, the Divisional Chief of Mbease Nsuta, thanked the President for his visit and appealed to the Government to help the traditional rulers retrieve their royalties, which had not been paid for years.
Source: GNA