I will not protect any appointee involved in illegal mining – Akufo-Addo

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo says he will not protect any appointee found to be involved in illegal mining activities (galamsey) in the country.

He said the security agencies were currently investigating the alleged involvement of government appointees including metropolitan, municipal and district chief executive in the galamsey activities and would not be able to protect anybody found to be culpable.

People found to be involved in illegal mining activities, he said, could face 15 years and above in prison.

President Akufo-Addo was speaking at a meeting with MMDCEs in the Ashanti region in Kumasi to deliberate on the alarming rate of galamsey activities in the region and how to effectively contain the menace.

The President had earlier met members of the National House of Chiefs on the same issue and said the government was committed to fighting illegal mining to ensure that rivers and water bodies became clear and clean again in the country.

“As a President, I am committed and determined to contain the fight against galamsey, come what may”, he told the MMDCEs.

The effective fight to contain the menace would also help the New Patriotic Party to break the eight, he added.

President Akufo-Addo pointed out that, it had become evident that if stringent measures were not taken immediately to stop the illegal mining, things would escalate.

Mr Dan Botwe, Minister for local government and rural development, asked the MMDCEs to submit monthly reports on illegal mining activities in their areas and how they were dealing with it.

Source: GNA