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The government has been given two weeks to remove all Chinese nationals involved in galamsey from all national forest areas, according to members of the Concerned Small-Scale Miners Association.
Concerned about the increase of Chinese nationals engaging in galamsey activities in areas of the Western Region such Bekwai, Denyau, Apapraman Forest Reserve, Hiayeya Forest Reserve, and Bibiani Ntakem, the organization claimed that certain officials are shielding the offenders.
If the government doesn’t act, they’ve vowed to do it themselves.
The President of the Association, Mr. Michael Prepah, stated on 505 on Class91.3FM on Tuesday, January 17, 2023 that the Chinese are free to do their business with impunity.
“As a matter of fact, we went to Achereso and when we got there, we saw these Chinese going about their normal activities, they were mining, degrading our forest reserves with impunity and they were not worried about whatever they were doing over there, that is the Apapraman forest reserve” he stated.
“We went to the Denyau forest reserve, we went to Amponuase, we went to Birichakrom and you could see that they were just doing whatever they want.”
“We want to state on record that we don’t want to come out to mention names and, therefore, we are only pleading with the media that as a matter of urgency we’ve given the government a two-week ultimatum that we want to see these Chinese out of these forest reserves and if these Chinese are not cleared from these forest reserves, we will clear them ourselves,” he warned.
The government’s war against galamsey, according to Mr. Daryl Bosu, Executive Director of A-Rocha Ghana, is only lip service.
He pointed out that the only way the government could demonstrate its commitment to the battle is by capturing those who were participating in it.
Source: Ghanatodayonline.com
