President John Dramani Mahama has issued a stern warning to his appointees, prohibiting them from engaging in any form of mining, legal or illegal, with immediate effect.
This directive was made clear during the launch of the ‘Tree for Life Reforestation Initiative’ in the Atwima Nwabiagya South Municipality of the Ashanti Region.
“I have directed that no government appointee at any level should engage in any form of legal or illegal mining. If you want to be a miner, leave government and go and be a miner,” President Mahama declared, receiving a thunderous applause from the audience.
This move is part of the government’s efforts to curb illegal mining, which has been deemed a national crisis threatening the economy, public health, and livelihoods of Ghanaians.
“Farmers are losing their farmlands, rivers are turning brown and toxic with pollution, and entire communities are being affected,” President Mahama lamented.
The President also instructed security and regulatory agencies to intensify their crackdown on illegal mining activities.
Recent successes include reclaiming seven out of nine “no-go zone” forest reserves that had been under siege by illegal miners.
Authorities have seized 55 excavators, three bulldozers, three pickup trucks, four pump-action rifles, and 11 motorbikes as part of these enforcement efforts.
Lands and Natural Resources Minister, Emmanuel Armah Kofi Buah emphasized the urgency of the ‘Tree for Life Reforestation Initiative,’ which aims to restore degraded lands, particularly those affected by illegal mining and deforestation.
“This initiative envisions transforming heavily degraded areas into functional and vibrant ecosystems that support biodiversity and human livelihoods,” he stated.
The Minister further noted that the program would not only help reclaim damaged lands but also raise environmental awareness, promote tree planting, and enhance biodiversity through ecosystem restoration.
–BY Daniel Bampoe
