Akufo-Addo  has never  interfered

– In anti-galamsey clampdown andhas shown unflinching support – Jinapor

The Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Mr Samuel Abu Jinapor, has stated that President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has never interfered in the fight against illegal small-scale mining popularly called galamsey.

According to him, the president has shown unflinching support towards the anti-galamsey fight and will not countenance interference.

Jinapor gave the assurance in response to questions from journalists concerning a 37-page report compiled by Professor Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng, the former Chairman of the Inter-ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining (IMCIM), which he presented to the Chief of Staff on March 19, 2021.

He answered questions from the media after delivering a speech at the first National Youth Conference on Natural Resources and Environmental Governance held in Accra.

The Minister reiterated that dealing with illegal mining, otherwise known as galamsey, was very complicated because it bothered on lives and livelihoods, therefore those allegedly involved in it would go at lengths to frustrate the efforts to clampdown on it.

“We have to be focused, we have to be focused, this is about the lives of Ghanaians. I can assure you that I have the full backing of the President and we will continue to work flat out to come to grips with this age old menace of galamsey…… we won’t relent,” stressed.

When asked about his views on the work of Prof Frimpong-Boateng who led the fight against illegal mining, Jinapor said it would be unfair on his part to pass judgement on their work.

The Lands and Natural Resources Minister said “I’ve no moral right to pass judgement on my predecessors…the good people of Ghana are in a better position to judge and all stakeholders…I don’t want to be drawn into this.” 

He said he remained focused on clamping down on illegal mining and would not be distracted by the current public outcry over Prof. Frimpong-Boateng’s report.

“Since I was appointed by the President in March 2021 to the Lands Ministry, I’m focused on the fight against illegal small-scale mining and I don’t want to be distracted in any way.”

Mr Jinapor promised to engage the media on Tuesday, May 2, 2023, to update the public on the state of the country’s forests.

He noted that there are useful lessons to be drawn from the high public outcry concerning the report pledging to take steps to help the nation make progress in restoring the degraded landscapes.

Mr Jinapor denied any knowledge of involvement by Mr Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, the Information Minister, in galamsey and described him as a “descent gentleman who has been discharging his duties with candour”.

Delivering a speech at the  conference,  Jinapor, has said that Ghana’s gold export receipts in 2022 amounted to over $6.6 billion, while timber exports generated in excess of €153 million.

He however warned that the unsustainable use of these resources, have dire consequences, not only for the country, but for planet earth.

He however cautioned that the nation’s natural resources and environmental sector is under threat from a range of environmental challenges, including illegal mining, illegal logging, deforestation, forest degradation, land degradation, soil erosion, climate change, water pollution, among others.

The Minister said that, “If we are to develop and prosper, we must efficiently and effectively manage these resources.

And the active involvement of the youth, who are said to constitute about 36% of our national population, cannot be overemphasised.”

He noted that the youth are the custodians of these resources and bear the consequences of environmental degradation and the depletion of the natural resources of the nation.

He continued, “By involving young people in Natural Resources and Environmental Governance, we are also likely to solve one of the biggest challenges that confront young people, youth unemployment.

“It is, therefore, of utmost importance that we actively engage the youth, tap into their creativities, unleash their energies, and find more and effective ways of protecting our environment and natural resources.”

In view of this, he said that government’s policies have recognised the important role the youth play in Natural Resources and Environmental Governance.

Jinapor stressed that “the commitment of the Government of President Akufo-Addo, to promote the involvement of the youth in all matters of governance, is reflected in the National Youth Policy, adopted last year, on the theme ‘Benefit for Youth, Involve Youth: Together for a Prosperous Future.’

He stated that for the attainment of a truly prosperous nation that meets the aspirations of its citizens, “the youth must be at the centre.”

It is for this reason, he said, that since 2017, several policies have been adopted to mainstream the youth in Natural Resource and Environmental Governance. 

This is exemplified with the formation of Green Ghana Clubs in selected schools, to sustain the Green Ghana initiative.

With particular reference to this year’s Green Ghana Day, he said that government intends to plant some 10 million trees in support of aggressive afforestation and reforestation programme.

He also disclosed that the 40,000 young people who were engaged in the Youth in Afforestation Programme which commenced in 2018, have so far cultivated a total of 179,861.6 hectares of forest, in addition to the development of seedlings, and the maintenance of forest plantations.

Jinapor further disclosed that some 75 graduates have been sponsored under Forest Plantation Development Fund of the Youth in Plantation Establishment as an Occupation Programme in the Ashanti, Bono, Bono East, Oti and Volta Regions. 

Additionally, the National Alternative Employment and Livelihood Programme (NAELP), has also provided alternative employment and sources of livelihood to young men and women engaged in illegal mining by providing them with direct and indirect employment in the production of seedlings and reclamation of degraded mined lands, with the apprenticeship and entrepreneurial modules of the programme, set to commence sometime this year, with the view of training the youth in mining communities in agriculture, technical, vocational, industrial, and mining skills.

He further indicated that government, with the support of the World Bank, is implementing the Ghana Landscape Restoration and Small Scale Mining Project (GLRSSMP), to strengthen integrated natural resource management and increase benefits to communities in the targeted areas.

When fully rolled out, it will see to the restoration of our degraded landscape and sustainable management of our natural resources.