Member of Parliament for Assin Central, Kennedy Ohene Agyapong says the three-week ultimatum issued by the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, John Peter Amewu for illegal miners to end their activities is too short.
He said it is important for the minister to find lasting solutions for the menace instead of giving timelines which he believes will rather worsen the situation.
“Three weeks ultimatum by the Lands minister I believe is too short in dealing with galamsey activities in the country. It will shock you to know that these illegal miners will still go on with those activities even as their time elapse and that is why I think lasting solution will help,” he said on Adom TV’s Morning Show “Badwam” Thursday.
Almost all the water bodies in Ghana have been polluted mainly through galamsey operations and experts predict disaster for the country as people may not get access to clean drinking water by the year 2030.
Available research indicates that three out five Ghanaians drink contaminated water daily.
A major discourse in the country for the past month has been about the activities of illegal miners that are degrading the forests and polluting water bodies.
The Tano River in the Brong Ahafo Region has dried up for the first time in 40 years, a development blamed on illegal mining.
Ghana Water Company officials have cautioned the country risks importing water from its neighbours if the current destruction by illegal miners continues.
The development has generated huge debate with some Ghanaians calling on the President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo-led government to end the practice.
However, Lands Minister, John Peter Amewu, issued a three-week ultimatum to illegal miners across the country to stop their activities else risk punishment if they are apprehended.
But the maverick politician reacting to the issue noted that these activities are carried out by some Ghanaians with their Chinese counterparts in largely poor communities in the country.
“I happened to find myself at River Pra with a friend and saw some people mining in the river. We asked them how they got there only to tell us that some chiefs took money from them before they were allowed to mine.
“Even I know for a fact that some MPs are even involved in these illegal activities and I think the 3 weeks won’t help. These chiefs need to be sensitized on the dangers so we find a lasting solution to it else we will forever live with it” he stressed.
Listen to Ken Agyapong