A Deputy Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, George Mireku Duker, has called on Ghanaians to help the government fight illegal mining for the protection of the country’s water bodies.

He said the protection and preservation of the country’s resources was a national duty and should not be left in the hands of only the government.

He was speaking at Prestea in the Western Region during the inauguration of the Prestea-Huni Valley District Mining Committee for the municipality.

The Deputy Minister reiterated that the government, within the past few years, had rolled out various initiatives and policies to ensure safety and sustainable mining to bring the needed development and improvement to mining communities.

However, the initiatives and policies, he said, were under threat due to the activities of illegal mining and gold smuggling, hence, the need for all Ghanaians to contribute in ending all forms of illegalities in the small-scale mining sector.

Earlier, Mr Duker noted that anti-illegal mining strategies implemented by the government were yielding positive results, including the rise in “turbidity” of some of the major water bodies that were affected by illegal mining.

“Illegal mining has been the bane of this country. It is a canker that collectively we must fight. It’s a struggle that we must get out of our way. People are finding ways and means to take the country’s resources without taking into consideration the future of this country.

People are mining in our river bodies without any recourse to the heritage of this country. We call on Nananom and everybody to help fight these recalcitrant persons. If care is not taken, we may import water going forward and as a country we must try to deal with that. Let’s fight to bring back Ankobra, Birim, Offin,” Mr Duker stated. 

He said that the government was focused on revamping the natural resources sector to make it more profitable to Ghanaians.

He urged the Committee to be diligent in its work and help the government achieve its objectives.

“This committee will go a long way in regularising the mining sector in the municipality. You have been sworn-in as key pillars in streamlining the mining sector in the municipality,” the Deputy Minister added.

Chairman of the Committee, who is also the Chief Executive of the Prestea-Huni-Valley Municipal Assembly, Dr Isaac Dasmani, assured of the committee’s readiness to help in promoting responsible and sustainable mining in the area.

Other members of the committee include Francis Asmah, Nana Kwesi Sompey, Moses Kpebu, Isaac Mwinbelle and Bright Arko.