Armah Buah: Gov’t Will Go After Chiefs, MMDCEs Aiding Galamsey
The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, has disclosed that the government is pursuing legislation to hold traditional authorities and Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) accountable for their roles in the fight against illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey. According to the Minister, the proposed legislation, which he said had […]…
Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, has announced plans to introduce legislation targeting traditional authorities and Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) for their involvement in combating illegal mining, also known as galamsey. The proposed legislation, which has been presented to Parliament, aims to strengthen accountability at the local level and discourage these authorities from evading their duties in addressing the issue.
During a recent anti-illegal mining operation in the Atewa Forest, Armah-Kofi Buah expressed his concern over the detrimental impact of illegal mining on the environment and public health, especially on children exposed to pollution. He emphasized that traditional leaders and local government officials must shoulder greater responsibility for illegal mining activities in their respective jurisdictions.
The new legislation would require chiefs to play a more active role in the decision-making process regarding mining licenses, making it difficult for them to deny knowledge of mining operations within their communities. Armah-Kofi Buah stressed that the fight against illegal mining requires collective responsibility from all stakeholders, particularly traditional leaders and local government authorities, who are in a unique position to help tackle the problem.
Written by urgent.news from The Chronicle Ghana's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
