The Western North Regional Security Council, chaired by Richard Ebbah Obeng, at its second quarter meeting has constituted a Special Joint Anti-Galamsey Taskforce to wage a war against illegal mining in the Region.
The Special Joint Anti-Galamsey Taskforce comprises of the Regional Police Command, the Regional Immigration Command, the Military, the National Investigation Bureau, the National Security, and the Fire Service Command.
The taskforce has been tasked to wage a sustained war against illegal mining activities popularly known as “galamsey” which is fast gaining notoriety in the Western North Region. The Regional Minister in his opening address told the meeting that the President’s directive “to us as Regional Ministers was to ensure that illegal mining has become an unattractive venture”.
It was based on this directive that he urged the members of the taskforce to carry out their mandate without fear or favour in order to protect our lands and water bodies for the generations yet unborn. The Regional Minister warned that anybody or group who are caught in the act will be dealt with within the confines of the law.
According to him, the Regional Security Council (REGSEC) has taken cognizance of the job opportunities that the Community Mining Initiative has created within mining communities, but was quick to add that “the point must be made that all approved community mining sites found to be non-compliant to the rules governing their operations will be stopped or suspended and their equipment ceased”.
He directed all MMDCEs to co-operate and collaborate with the taskforce to ensure that galamsey activities were halted in the region. He again indicated that REGSEC was aware of the involvement of foreign nationals in the illegal act and thus, has warned that they would be arrested and repatriated to their home countries.
He stated that foreign nationals who have the intentions of using the Western North Region as their safe haven to perpetrate the illegal activities should rethink and put a stop to their activities because they will be fished out and dealt with by the full rigours of the laws of Ghana.
From Dickson Kwabena Anthony, Sefwi Wiawso
