The Minerals Commission is asking for more speed boats to expand its fight against illegal mining activities (galamsey) on water bodies.
This appeal is coming at a time when the Commission is investigating alleged illegal mining in the Offin river.
Government has deployed speed boats with security officers to patrol the river bodies to check galamsey.
The new measure according to the Commission is aimed at permanently dealing with the issue of illegal mining activities on water bodies in the country.
Speaking at a press conference in Accra, Chief Executive Officer for the Minerals Commission, Martin Kwaku Ayisi noted that the security officers will patrol the water bodies during the day and night.
“We hope government will give us more boats, so we cover almost the tributaries and the smaller streams that flow into these river bodies. Now the patrols will be happening 24/7. So we have this firm belief that, the officers will stay on the water bodies so that within the next year or so, we have more boats all over the water bodies. That is the only way we can avoid this canker.”
The government says it is hopeful that the introduction of the speed patrol boats on galamsey-affected water bodies will yield the needed results.
In a bid to curb the activities of illegal miners on water bodies, government has commissioned five-speed boats.
The move is also to take the fight against galamsey to river bodies across the country.
Speaking to journalists after the commissioning of the boats, the sector minister, Samuel Abu Jinapor, expressed optimism, adding that the move will be a game changer in Ghana’s quest to win the war on illegal mining.
“Most of the rivers in our country stretch a great distance, and it is almost impossible for anyone to monitor these enclaves to ensure that, we rid them of illegal small-scale miners. With the acquisition of these boats and the recruitment of these guards, it means that the major rivers in our country are going to be monitored constantly and is going to be a major intervention in clearing the river bodies of our country”, the Minister said.
