Acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Professor Nana Ama Klutse has revealed that community members are stealing from large-scale mining companies across the country.
She stated that the EPA has since Wednesday embarked on field visits to large-scale mining companies to monitor their operations and ensure compliance with regulations.
The visits she noted are part of EPA’s role in overseeing the mining sector and promoting sustainable practices.
According to her, one of the major challenges discovered was that community members were invading the concession of licensed large-scale mining companies and stealing from them.
Speaking on Frontline on Rainbow Radio 87.5FM, she stated that from the various areas they have been to, it has emerged that these community members are stealing from them.
‘’From our visits so far, I can state that compliance from these large-scale mining companies was good. However, the challenge is that community members are invading the concession of these mining companies. The community members are stealing the gold and other valuables from the mining companies. ‘These activities are posing a threat to the large-scale mining companies,’ she indicated.
She told host Kwabena Agyapong that the EPA plays a critical role in enforcing environmental regulations within the mining sector, and the field visits are also important since they allow the EPA to assess the environmental performance of mining companies and identify potential violations.
Concerning illegal mining activities, she reiterated that they were a threat to the environment, and that as a state body, it would continue to monitor and enforce environmental regulations in order to promote sustainable mining practices and protect the environment from the negative effects of mining activities.
She stated that mining in bodies of water is illegal, and that ruthless action would be taken against those who engage in illegal mining activities.
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana
