The presidential candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Dramani Mahama, has assured Ghanaians that if elected into office, he will amend the law to end the cycle of indiscriminate mining in forest reserves.
He lamented that forest reserves in the country are currently being taken over by illegal mining, which has contaminated water sources and affected crop production.
He said the situation was causing challenges for the country, hence the need to deal with it.
He also stated that the existing number of government officials engaging in mining in forest reserves was concerning.
He said no official would be permitted to engage in illegal mining under his administration.
“We are going to ban mining in forest reserves. As for that, it is non-negotiable. The law that amended to allow people to go into forest reserves to do mining will be re-amended to stop it,” he said during a media engagement on July 7.
“We don’t want the forest zone to become the savannah zone, we must protect those trees and rebuild those forest reserves,” he added.
He added that his government would also open offices for all the agencies that oversee the mining sector in districts where gold mining takes place.
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana
