Community Mining Programme Must Halt 'Galamsey' Activities

THE PRESIDENT, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo, on Wednesday, launched the Community Mining Programme (CMP), at Wassa Akropong, in the Western Region.

According to the aim of the programme, mining in communities will now be formalised across the country.

Under the programme, at least one community mine is expected to be set up in each of the mining districts in the country.

The community mines are expected to provide employment to more than 4,500 miners who have been trained by the government at the University of Mines and Technology (UMaT) at Tarkwa.

According to the President, the programme will ensure that "mining will be done the right way, within the tenets of the law, and will not destroy our natural resources.

"Today, we are launching a type of mining that will benefit all of us. I am here to plead with the young men who are participating in the community mining to do their best to adhere to all the laws and do a good job, so that money will return to Wassa Amenfi," he said.

President Akufo-Addo assured that the programme would be replicated in other towns in Ghana by September this year, and would be closely monitored to ensure that the standards that have been set for the CMP were adhered to.

The Ghanaian Times commends government for the establishment of community mines, which is part of efforts to stop galamsey in the country.

Indeed, it is an important step taken by the government, not only to regulate small scale mining and offer secure jobs for small scale miners, but also to prevent destruction of the environment.

As a matter of fact, many Ghanaians have been worried over the impact of galamsey on the environment, particularly on water bodies, farms and the forest and have advocated for a complete ban on illegal mining activities.

It is, therefore, welcoming news that the community mining programme would be replicated in other towns across the country.

Although the government has assured that the programme would be monitored, we call for stringent supervision and policing of the activities of the miners who would be engaging in the CMP.

We say so because of the difficulties we face as a nation, in the fight against galamsey.

The country is yet to stop illegal mining in spite of all the efforts that have been made through the establishment of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on illegal Mining.

We hope that the community mining concept would eventually become the attraction for the illegal miners and drive them away from galamsey.

We urge the youth to embrace the new programme and support the government strategy to stop illegal mining, so that we can all save the environment.

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