Lands minister- designate commits to environmental protection, mining ban and forest restoration
Emmanuel Armah Kofi Buah, the Lands and Natural Resource Minister- designate, has pledged a decisive halt to the issuance of new mining licenses in forest reserves during his vetting process in Ghana’s Parliament.
He outlined a comprehensive plan to combat illegal mining (galamsey) activities and protect the nation’s natural resources.
“All these illegal mining activities in our forest reserves,” Buah stated, “with these measures that I’ve described, the Blue Water Initiative, the Tree for Life Initiative, and the Tor Ghana Initiative, to make sure that we are not going to open ourselves for further damage and that is why we are going to stop further issuance of any license for mining in forest reserves.”
The Lands Minister-designate emphasized the urgency of addressing the illegal mining menace, citing its devastating impact on Ghana’s forest reserves. He presented his initiatives as part of a broader strategy to safeguard the environment.
The “Blue Water Initiative,” he explained, focuses on protecting and restoring water bodies affected by mining, while the “Tree for Life Initiative” aims at reforestation and tree planting to revitalize damaged ecosystems. While the details of the “Tor Ghana Initiative” were not specifically provided, it was alluded to being a core initiative in the fight against illegal mining.
Buah’s announcement of a complete ban on the issuance of new mining licenses in forest reserves was a strong signal of his commitment to strict environmental regulations. He stressed that these measures are essential to prevent further damage to vital ecosystems and resources.
During the vetting process, Buah’s statements indicated his intent to take a firm stand against the illegal mining activities and underscored his commitment to protecting the country’s natural heritage.
