The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel Abu Jinapor, has assured Ghanaians that the government will take swift action against illegal mining, commonly known as ‘galamsey.’
This response follows the Ghana Water Company Limited’s decision to ration water in Cape Coast, Winneba, and Mankessim due to the adverse effects of galamsey on water sources.
In an interview with Joy FM, Mr. Jinapor refuted claims that the government had eased its efforts, stating that an emergency meeting would be convened and security forces deployed to the affected areas.
“We are going to have the review today and I am 1000 per cent certain and I can give you a firm assurance that we are going to deploy, and ramp up our enforcement measures.
So, all these places you are talking about, are going to have a cleanup there to have a complete swoop.
“We are going to send law enforcement agencies there to take a swoop of the whole stretch and not just there. So many other places, particularly the Central Region.
“As I say, Operation Halt has never been a continuous operation, it has always been a surgical one and whenever we find that there is a particular place where there is a rise in illegal mining or a rise in activities, we move them in,” he stated,
