Okyenhene rejects community mining initiative while he approves planting for food and employment

General News of Tuesday, July 30, 2019

Source: Ghanaweb.com

2019-07-30

The Okyenhene, Osagyefo Amoatia Ofori Panin has outright rejected the government's community mining initiative put in place by the Interministerial Committee on Mining (IMCM) as an alternative to illegal mining.

While he casts doubt on adherence to best practices and responsible mining when the initiative is finally deployed, Akyem Abuakwa's suzerain suggested that the government prefers to hire resources in the initiative "Plant for food and employment" rather than mining.

Okyenhene made the remark when Minister of Lands and Natural Resources Kwaku Asoma Kyeremeh paid a courtesy visit to Kyebi in the east of the country.

The visit of the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources is part of a five-day field trip to the mining communities of the region.

The government led by Akufo Addo strongly argued against illegal mining by examining its devastating effects on land, water plans and the forest in general, and therefore banned the practice in order to allow the Government to find a better and sustainable solution for this purpose.

The concept of community, born a few months ago, is therefore a replacement and a relief for the many young people who have been fired up to now because of the ban on illegal mining at Small scale.

The Okyenhene welcoming minister in his palace said the initiative "Planting to create food and jobs was more sustainable and could potentially bring more for the country than mining, which says he contributed little to the economy.

"My suggestion is not an attack on your policy, it's a suggestion that I make and I'm pbadionate about it.We cut the trees carelessly when we know that leaves hold back carbon dioxide." , we cut without knowing the characteristics that save lives they can hold and for 62 years, we do not know where we are going, "he lamented.

Mr. Asoma Kyeremeh said he was in the area to explain the purpose of the community mining initiative.

According to him, this initiative will reduce the price to pay for illegal mining.

The minister and his entourage inspected mining sites in Akyem-Gyampomanin and Dome in the district of Fanteakwa South.

During his visit, the minister insisted that two mining companies, the limited-life mining company and the Dome mines, recover the degraded lands and exploit them at a hundred meters from the Birim River.