Ghana’s battle against illegal mining has taken another urgent turn as Ashanti Regional Minister Dr. Frank Amoakohene has issued a two-week ultimatum for illegal miners operating in forest reserves and water bodies to vacate.
This latest directive, coming straight from President John Dramani Mahama, signals a renewed push to reclaim Ghana’s degraded lands and polluted rivers.
Dr. Amoakohene, reaffirming the government’s position, made it clear that the deadline is non-negotiable.
He warned that miners who fail to comply will be met with enforcement action, emphasizing that the country cannot continue to suffer the consequences of illegal mining.
He stated, “The President has issued a directive that anyone in the forest reserves mining should vacate those places.
“We’re giving them up to two weeks if you are mining within forest reserves and if you don’t want to be on the other side of the law, you have two weeks to vacate or leave those places.”
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The devastation caused by illegal mining has been felt nationwide, with once-thriving water bodies reduced to murky, toxic streams. Communities that once relied on these rivers for drinking water and farming now struggle with shortages and contamination.
The minister highlighted the urgent need to reclaim these resources, stating, “The other area has to do with water bodies, so we’re giving them two weeks.
“If you have any investment whatsoever and you are on water bodies polluting them and destroying our water bodies, you have two weeks to leave the space. We will send out a team to ensure normalcy and restore order within the mining sector.”
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