Member of Parliament for Ofoase Ayirebi and Minister of Works and Housing, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, has urged District Chief Executives (DCEs) and fellow MPs to actively combat illegal mining activities in water bodies.
He emphasized that the destruction of these vital resources for gold mining is unacceptable, stating, “Some people are saying that we should allow those mining in our water bodies to continue because if we tell them to stop, they won’t vote for us. We, the people of Ofoase Ayirebi, will not permit it.”
Oppong Nkrumah criticized those who fear backlash from voters if they oppose mining, asserting that the health and safety of communities depend on clean water sources.
He said “Let me say it plain, if any Member of Parliament wants to allow gold mining in their constituency’s water bodies, thereby destroying them, we, the people of Ofuasi Ayirebi, will not permit it in our water bodies”.
“We drink from these water sources and will not allow them to be destroyed”, he noted.
He highlighted ongoing efforts to arrest illegal miners and called for adherence to legal mining procedures to protect the environment while allowing for responsible resource extraction.
“Anytime galamseyers enter our water bodies, the police and District Assembly arrest them. Anytime they plan such an operation, they take GHC7,000 from me to clamp down on them. So, if anyone is afraid to confront those destroying our water bodies, we, the people of Ofuase Ayirebi, will not permit anyone to destroy our water in the name of searching for gold. We will fight against it”, Oppong Nkrumah told his constituents in a campaign gathering.
The Works and Housing Minister emphasized the mutual benefits that mining can bring to both the gov’t and miners, and advised them to follow the rightful procedure.
He stated “If anyone wants to mine gold, there are rightful procedures to follow, and the gov’t can assist you to mine legally, ensuring you earn your share while the gov’t gets its due share.”
www.kumasimail.com / Kwadwo Owusu
