By Felix Coffie
Government will be considering some compensation packages for some residents of Ntroboso Community in the Atwima Mponua district of the Ashanti Region who had their properties accidentally destroyed by operation Halt II.
The compensation package will become active pending the outcome of the final investigation report. Deputy Minister of Lands and Natural Resources George Mireku Duker, the Deputy Minister for Lands and Natural Resources stated this when he paid a working visit to the Community to gain first-hand information of the incident.
Government, he said, “is ready to support those who lost properties in the incident,”.
The Deputy Minister, however, lamented how illegal mining activities in the area have utterly degraded the environment and water bodies in the area especially River Offin.
According to him, illegal mining threatens the very survival of the people within the Community and made a passionate appeal to the Chiefs and Elders to help the government to rise up against the menace.
He disclosed that the government will scale up its anti-galamsey operations in the area and rid the River Offin of all mining equipment particularly the Chan fa.
Mr. Duker motioned an alternative and a more sustainable and responsible mining method as replacement for the destructive galamsey.
He announced that the MP for the area, Isaac Asiamah has secured a Community Concession for the area and that by the end of April 2022, it will be operationalized and the government will also provide the new gold catcher for responsible and sustainable mining to take place.
He reminded the Community and Ghanaians not to view the onslaught of illegal-small scale mining as an attack on their livelihoods, but, rather as a measure to protect the country’s resources and grow the industry.
As part of his tour to the Ashanti Region, Mr. Duker inaugurated the Atwima Mponua District Mining Committee with a call on them to stamp out illegal mining.He charged the members of the community to be vigilant and firm in dealing with mining issues in the district and deal decisively with any person or institution who flouts the rules governing mining in the country.
The Member of Parliament for Atwima Mponua, Isaac Asiamah commended the Sector Minister and the Ministry for taking steps to deal with the issue. He also joined the campaign against illegal mining, warning the residents that they risk drinking unsafe water if they don’t end galamsey activities.
