The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Abu Jinapor said the government will continue to enforce the law to deal with leaders including politicians and clergy who engage in illegal mining without fear or favour.
He said the activities of these supposed big men are impeding the fight against the menace. The Minister said the government is ramping up military operations this year to curb activities of illegal miners, especially in the Communities.
”I’m not too sure that it will be correct to come to the conclusion that criminal activities are reserved for ordinary people alone and history teaches us that some of the most if you want gargantuan criminal activities are perpetuated by so-called big men that’s the fact there are no two ways about that”.
So how are you dealing with the big men involved in that? in a question to the Minister, who said,
”I’ll tell you how we dealing with that, the category of people you mentioned clergymen, businessmen, politicians and so on and so forth in all aspect of human life historically and contemporarily you find all manner of people getting involved in all kinds of criminal acts that way to deal with it is to enforce the law without fear or favour that’s as simple as that”.
He added that, ”So that when Operation Halt is out there and they are clearing the shores of our river bodies and they get to one concession they will say this concession belongs to the friend of the Minister or a relative or a political party leader and so on and so forth at least as I have the privilege of becoming the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources where there is any illegal mining in any part of the country which is supposed to be owned by a so called big man, politician or clergy man and government or Ministry turn a blind eye take it from me the enforcement measure we are making is without fear or favor I have had to take so criticism and attacks over some of the measures we put in place the defense Minister is had to take some attacks, the President himself his been criticized many times some people have suggested the way you are going about this sanitisation of the small scale mining sector you have to save vote and election this year 2022 all the measures we put in place are going to be enhanced and hopefully in the very near future we should be to terms with the measures”, the Minister noted.
Source: gbcghanaonline.com
