The Director in charge of Intersectoral /Network of the Environmental Protection Authority, Mr. Ransford Sekyi has said the Environmental Protection Authority hands are tight when it comes to regulating water pollution and other environmental challenges caused by illegal miners.
Mr. Ransford Sekyi was a panel member for the Community Social Responsibility (CSR) Forum held in Accra yesterday by the Canadian High Commission on the theme “addressing environmental challenges towards sustainable mining in Ghana”
“Let me humbly emphasize this, Galamsey have become more of a security issue than regulatory “he said
In an interview with Obuasitoday.com at the forum, Mr. Sekyi debunked notions that his office is doing nothing when it comes to illegal miners polluting river bodies with the deadly mercury.
“Some time ago I was nearly lynched by some irate illegal miners when we confronted them on this same issue at their site. We are doing a lot behind closed doors about it”, he stressed.
All should come on board
According to him, the Environmental Protection Authority can never fight this menace alone but with the help of all stakeholders, the battle can be won.
“I call on the local chiefs, local government authorities, and journalists,CSOs and community members to join us fight this canker of river pollution which is now a burden on the EPA”, he stated.
2 comments
Indeed, our leaders have failed us on the well-being of Obuasi. We know that former Ashanti Goldfields Corporation and AngloGold Ashanti have fed these leaders, and these leaders have done little to protect the land of Obuasi and its people. If as a country we cannot protect the land from illegal folks, how much can we defend the nation from foreign threats.
There’s no excuse about this issue, and the environmental implications co exists with the security issue. If you stop illigal mincing, you don’t just solve the security issue but you also save the environment. You don’t need a university degree to know this! You better act fast! You make strict regulations for mining companies and you watch illigal miners to cause mess and insecurity. This current government has really failed us. If you want to create jobs for the people you have to do it in the right way, not by allowing ILLIGAL mining to operate! They are no different from armed robbers and they should be prosecuted for their encroachment in the concessions of the mining companies. Do not forget that it is not just illigal miners who will vote at the elections, in fact most of the illigal miners are not even natives of Obuasi if you look at the Obuasi situation. The MCE sits on radio to defend ILLIGAL mining! These are the kind of leaders we have today.. And it’s got to change before Ghana sinks deep in the mess they are creating. NDC could not create jobs for the people and they failed to protect jobs which investors have created in Ghana, especially the mining sector. The mining sector is a major source of employment and taxes to government yet this same government watch them to struggle with illigal miners. Most of the silent voices are watching and we will all speak at the right time. May God let justice prevail in the situation of the mining companies struggling with illigal mining. May nature arise!