Illegal miners to be used for tree planting program – Amewu

Berlinda Entsie 11:16 - 25 April 2017

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Government of Ghana says it has plans to enrol illegal miners on reclamation programmes as an alternative source of livelihood for the miners

The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, John Peter Amewu says illegal miners will be enrolled on the tree planting program and other reclamation programmes to help restore lands affected by the illegal activity.

This he believes will serve as an alternative source of livelihood for the illegal miners whose operations have been halted by government.

The minister explains that, the government through a 5-year Multilateral Mining Integrated Project (MMIP) will roll out a livelihood empowerment project for the illegal miners to create an employment avenue for them.

The MMIP is an attempt to absorb all factory hands engaged in illegal activities to be absorbed back within a period of 5 years where exploration activities will be done in areas that are prospective and these factory hands will be brought here to mine

For those who want to be engaged in the mining activities, they will be absorbed into the MMIP. With the reclamation across this country, it is estimated that about 1.5% of the earth surface has been degraded as a result of this activity.

Many communities in Ghana are currently suffering the negative effects of galamsey which has left most of Ghana’s fresh water bodies poisonous. Thousands of acres of fertile farmlands have also been destroyed as a result of galamsey.

Although Ghana’s laws are clear on illegal mining, the activity has been allowed to continue for more than two decades.