President Nana Akufo-Addo has directed the Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, along with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), to immediately suspend the enforcement of L.I 2462, which pertains to mining in forest reserves.
This decision follows a meeting with Organised Labour on Tuesday, October 8, after the group had announced plans for a nationwide strike on October 10 if the government failed to take action against illegal mining, commonly known as galamsey.
In a statement released by the Office of the Presidency on October 9, the President outlined a series of measures aimed at addressing the concerns raised by the labour unions.
Among the measures is a directive for the Defence Minister to deploy additional military personnel to bolster the ongoing ‘Operation Halt’, aimed at curbing illegal mining activities.
“The operation will be bolstered by the deployment of naval boats on polluted river bodies to ensure the immediate cessation of all mining activities, legal or illegal, in and around these water bodies,” the President’s statement read.
In addition, Akufo-Addo has tasked the Attorney General to collaborate with the Chief Justice to increase the number of courts handling illegal mining cases, in order to expedite legal actions and prosecutions.
Following these interventions, Organised Labour has called off its planned October 10 strike.
The unions expressed satisfaction with the government’s outlined strategy to combat illegal mining, signaling a willingness to collaborate with other stakeholders to ensure the success of these efforts.
