The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel Abu Jinapor, has instructed the Upper West Regional Security Council not to allow the illegal mining activities to gain root in the Upper West region following the lessons learnt from the other mining areas.
He said it is better to nip the situation in the bud before it metamorphoses into a national challenge.
The Minister gave the caution at an extraordinary meeting with the Upper West Regional Security Council in Wa. The Minister who is on a 6-day working tour of the 5 Regions of the North said his engagement with REGSEC is a central feature of his ongoing tour of all the 16 Regions of the country.
He indicated that the time has come for REGSEC to have full control over the operation of the mining sector in the region and also deal with the activities of illegal mining operations.
On government policy direction at protecting the country’s forest cover, Mr Jinapor reiterated that the harvesting, trade, import, and exportation of Rosewood is outrightly banned stressing that any wood species harvested will require a direct permit from him.
Touching on Public Lands and their related issues, the Minister said there is an urgent need for some mechanisms to be put in place to protect public lands.
He maintained that the sale and encroachment of public Lands should be a thing of the past, while thanking the members of REGSEC for their efforts in assisting government to protect the Natural Resources of the country. The Security Heads on their part, collectively agreed to up their game in combating illegalities in the Natural Resources sector, particularly deforestation and illegal mining.
By: Felix Cofie.
