Galamsey: Government to partner UNIDO to reclaim degraded lands

Government has disclosed it will team up with United Nations Industrial Development Organisation, (UNIDO) to reclaim degraded mining lands after the ban on galamsey is lifted.

According to the Minister of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, Prof. Kwabena Frimpong Boateng, government is conducting baseline studies to examine the level of mercury poisoning of water bodies and lands in affected mining communities in order to reclaim them.

Prof. Frimpong Boateng made this known at the meet the press series in Accra on Tuesday, 10 April 2018.

He said: “First of all when the ban is lifted, the agreement that we are coming into with UNIDO will kick in. We’re doing some baseline study to examine the level of mercury poisoning in the miners themselves, in the communities they work and the water bodies around including the fish so we know the level of mercury poison. When that is done, the results will be transmitted to the global environment facility and we’ll have the chance to apply for funds that will help us in reclaiming the land. I must say that it is not a cheap exercise.”

The Akufo-Addo government has launched an onslaught on galamseyers with a firm commitment to put a stop to illegal small scale mining.

Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, John Peter Amewu is leading the operation.

In the past one year, several Chinese and their local collaborators have been arrested as part of the war on galamsey.