Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has reaffirmed the government’s firm commitment to deporting all foreign nationals caught engaging in illegal mining, widely known as galamsey.

In a candid address to the Ghanaian community in Lagos, Nigeria, Ablakwa stressed President John Dramani Mahama’s unwavering stance on safeguarding the country’s natural resources. He emphasized that the government would not tolerate mining activities in protected areas such as river bodies and forest reserves.

“President Mahama has been clear: there will be no tolerance for mining in our rivers or forests,” said Ablakwa, addressing the audience.

The Minister also revealed that a military operation to target illegal miners is imminent, with plans to apprehend offenders and prosecute them in the coming days.

“In the next few days, we will be rounding up individuals and taking legal action against them,” Ablakwa stated, hinting at the upcoming military deployment aimed at tackling the galamsey crisis.

While many deportations have already taken place, Ablakwa made it clear that the government had chosen not to publicize these efforts widely. “A lot of deportations have already occurred. We’ve just not been making them public,” he said.

Mr. Ablakwa underscored the importance of cracking down on repeat offenders who attempt to return to restricted zones after military operations have cleared them out.

He expressed optimism that these enforcement measures would result in cleaner water sources for Ghana, saying that improved water quality would be one of the key benefits of successfully curbing illegal mining activities.

In closing, the Minister appealed to Ghanaians in Nigeria to lend their support to the national effort to combat illegal mining, assuring them that the government was determined to take every necessary step to bring the galamsey problem to a halt.

Source:TheDotNews