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Ogyeahoho Yaw Gyebi II, President of the National House of Chiefs, has rejected calls for a blanket ban on all mining activities, instead advocating for stricter regulations to promote responsible mining in Ghana.
His stance comes amid increasing demands for a nationwide ban on small-scale mining, particularly in response to the environmental destruction caused by illegal mining, also known as galamsey.
While acknowledging the harm caused by galamsey, Ogyeahoho Yaw Gyebi II emphasized the economic importance of mining to the nation and warned that a total ban would lead to significant job losses, especially among the youth.
He urged stakeholders to focus on enforcing proper mining practices under the supervision of the Minerals Commission.
“We should adopt the right measures to regulate illegal mining so they can all do responsible mining. As for the mining, we will do it, but we will do it responsibly,” he stated.
Lands and Natural Resources Minister Samuel Abdullai Jinapor echoed these views, reaffirming the government’s commitment to fighting illegal mining while protecting water bodies, the environment, and forest reserves.
Despite the challenges posed by illegal mining cartels, Jinapor stressed the need for continued collaboration to safeguard natural resources.
