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ILLEGAL MINING EFFECTS ON GENERATIONS; Former President John Dramani Mahama Writes:
Today, I was honoured to speak at the 3rd annual transformative dialogue on small-scale mining in Sunyani. Ghana is blessed with abundant natural resources, including gold, but we have also experienced the devastating effects of illegal mining. Our rivers and lands have been polluted, our forests destroyed, and our people left without clean water and fertile land. We cannot allow illegal mining to continue unchecked.
We must prioritise sustainable development and responsible mining practices. We have seen the destruction caused by illegal mining in places like the Ankobra and Pra Rivers and the Atewa Forest Reserve. We cannot afford to lose these precious natural resources to the greed of a few individuals.
We must work together to develop and implement policies that prioritise sustainable mining practices and hold those who engage in illegal mining accountable. This will require stricter enforcement of mining laws, increased investment in responsible mining technologies, and efforts to educate and empower small-scale miners to operate sustainably.
We must also prioritise preserving our environment and protecting our natural resources for future generations. This means taking bold steps to rehabilitate and restore areas affected by illegal mining and investing in renewable energy sources to reduce our reliance on traditional mining practices.
As leader of the NDC and incoming President of the Republic, I am deeply committed to working with all stakeholders to chart a new vision for our country’s mining industry. We must ensure that Ghana’s natural resources are managed to benefit all our people, not just a few.
I thank the University of Energy and Natural Resources, their co-organisers, and the participants for their valuable insights and contributions.
Together, we can create a sustainable and responsible mining industry for Ghana.
Published by:Justice Baffour Awuah-00246-930931