Government, through the Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation has launched the boat surveillance program to complement its community mining project as way of sanitizing the small scale mining industry, and also safeguarding our waters.
The boat surveillance program will enable officers of the Navy and the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining to undertake routine patrols on all water bodies in Ghana, especially those along mining communities, and also conduct some hydro-geological surveys in ‘galamsey’ polluted rivers.
Sector Minister, Prof. Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng, at a launch of the program in Axim, said these investments and strategies are geared towards enforcing a more responsible mining in the country. The Nzema East Municipality have been allocated four of the surveillance boats to patrol the Ankobra River.
Prof. Frimpong-Boateng added that plans are underway to develop a transport system on these waters to facilitate the transportation of people and goods from remote communities along these rivers.
“Sediments have been deposited at the basin of these rivers making it shallower. The rivers will be dredged, and bigger vessels will be procured to transport people and goods” he said.
Member of Parliament for Evalue-Ajomoro-Gwira, Catherine Afeku said the communities stand to better their lives with the community mining program, and thus called for a collaborative effort to ensure responsible mining.
“We will mine with dignity. We will develop our communities, enhance our livelihood with this community mining project” she noted.
Hon. Catherine Afeku charged her constituents to learn some skills such as blacksmith, fabrication, among others, so they could tap into the opportunities the community mining provides.
Story: Jacob Baah/Skyy News
