Ghana’s campaign against illegal mining intensified as the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources and Acting Minister for Environment, Science and Technology, Hon. Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, called for renewed national resolve at the Chief Justice’s Mentorship Programme.
Addressing judges, lawyers and law students, the minister described the destructive impact of illegal mining on Ghana’s environment, communities and future generations. He said once-lush forests, fertile farmlands and blue water bodies have been transformed into what he termed “gaping, bleeding holes in the earth.”
Mr. Buah warned that the activities have stripped affected communities of health, livelihoods and dignity, while endangering the inheritance of children yet unborn. He urged the legal fraternity to play an active role in enforcing environmental laws and safeguarding the nation’s natural resources.
The minister stressed that Ghana’s fight against illegal mining remains firm, coordinated and non-negotiable, calling on all stakeholders to defend the country’s environmental heritage.