The Eastern Regional Minister-Designate, Rita Awatey, has vowed to take decisive action against illegal mining, known as ‘galamsey.’
Rita Awatey was worried about the devastating impact of the menace on farmlands and forests, including cocoa farms and underscored the need for urgent intervention.
Appearing before the Appointments Committee of Parliament on January 23, 2025, she pledged to lead a rigorous reforestation initiative to restore the degraded forests in the Eastern Region.
The nominee asserted that this effort would help farmers reclaim their lands and resume cocoa production for socio-economic development.
“Almost all the cocoa growing areas are the same areas with our mineral resources. Almost all the cocoa lands are being destroyed by illegal mining.
“We’re going to apply the rules. Lands that have been touched, farming areas and reserved forest areas should not be touched anymore. We’re going to undertake re-afforestation to plant more trees. This will help regain our forests and allow farmers to have their lands and continue planting cocoa to make the Eastern Region and Ghana great,” Awatey stated.
Parliament approves Dzifa Gomashie, Opare-Addo and Emelia Arthur as Ministers
….
Explore the world of impactful news with CitiNewsroom on WhatsApp!
Click on the link to join the Citi Newsroom channel for curated, meaningful stories tailored just for YOU: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaCYzPRAYlUPudDDe53x
No spam, just the stories that truly matter! #StayInformed #CitiNewsroom #CNRDigital