The Member of Parliament for Bole-Bamboi Constituency and Deputy Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Alhaji Yussif Sulemana has issued a strong warning to illegal miners operating along the Black Volta to vacate the area immediately or face enforcement action.
The MP gave the warning during a monitoring visit to communities along the river within the Bole District as part of ongoing efforts to combat illegal mining and protect water bodies.Dr. Sulemana explained that some communities in the western part of his constituency share a boundary with Cote d’Ivoire.
According to him, the community of Chache in Ghana and Bona on the Ivorian side are located at equal distances from Bole, about 22 miles each.He noted that local authorities and community members have collaborated in efforts to protect the river, including the deployment of Blue Water Guards to monitor activities along the water body.
The MP recalled that during a previous visit, the water in the river appeared heavily polluted and brownish, raising concerns about illegal mining activities.“After assessing the situation earlier, we deployed about 38 Blue Water Guards to monitor the river. I have returned to assess their work and I can say there has been some improvement in the quality of the water,” he said.
However, he disclosed that fresh information indicates renewed illegal mining activities around the Saru and Kalba areas along the Black Volta.“I want to send a strong caution to those engaged in illegal mining there to leave the place immediately. We will be sending our men there and we will ensure that the water body is protected,” he warned.
Dr. Sulemana acknowledged that although some progress has been made in the fight against illegal mining, much work remains to be done. He emphasized the government’s determination to protect water bodies and forest reserves from destruction.
According to him, illegal mining remains a persistent challenge because operators often return after being driven away.“We are not saying the activities have completely stopped. When you chase them out today, they may return tomorrow. But we are determined to make the environment hostile for them so they will not want to come back,” he stated.
He further stressed that protecting the country’s rivers should not be the responsibility of government alone but a collective duty of all citizens.The MP expressed concern that some foreign nationals also participate in illegal mining activities that pollute Ghana’s water bodies and leave local communities to suffer the consequences.
He warned that the use of harmful chemicals such as cyanide and mercury in mining has serious health implications, including diseases and birth deformities.Dr. Sulemana therefore called on the public, security agencies and the media to support the fight against illegal mining to safeguard the country’s water resources for future generations.
Source: nkilgifm.com
