DON'T RELEASE LANDS FOR GALAMSEY — CHIEFS TOLD (PAGE 23, JAN 9, 2010)

THE Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, has reiterated his appeal to traditional leaders to desist from releasing land to illegal miners to engage in “galamsey” operations which expose the people to various health hazards.
“The activities of selfish individuals engaged in galamsey operations are degrading our arable lands, destroying our water bodies and seriously affecting the lives and property of the communities involved,” Mr Ampofo stated.
He made the appeal when he addressed the end-of-year meeting of the Eastern Regional House of Chiefs.
The regional minister said one of the issues which had become a major source of worry to most of the communities in the region and the government was galamsey operations which had assumed alarming proportions lately.
“These people are not adhering to the environmental and mineral laws of the country and are seriously destroying the forest covers and sources of water at the expense of the health of the people in the affected communities,” he said.
He told the traditional leaders that small-scale miners could only exploit minerals in the soil “when they regularise their operations”.
The government, he said, had identified mechanised agriculture as the fulcrum of its economic development, adding that as part of the strategy to encourage the youth in the sector, the government was implementing the Youth in Agriculture programme this year.
He, therefore, appealed to traditional authorities to support the initiative by releasing land to the youth who were interested in going into agriculture in their respective communities.
“I hope if our chiefs embrace the project and release land willingly, it will motivate more youth to participate in the programme,” Mr Ampofo stated.
Mr Ampofo expressed the preparedness of the government to resource various traditional authorities to enable them to play their roles in ensuring national cohesion and the socio-economic development of the country.
The regional minister expressed concern over the high rate of maternal mortality and HIV and AIDS cases in the region.
“As major stakeholders, I urge you all to join the crusade against HIV and AIDS, as well as maternal mortality, so that they can be reduced to their barest minimum if not completely eliminated,” Mr Ampofo told the chiefs.
Responding to the concerns of the regional minister, the President of the Eastern Regional House of Chiefs, Daasebre (Prof.) Oti Boateng, declared the House’s readiness to work with all stakeholders to address the various development challenges facing the region to better the lot of the people.