President Mills Speaks Against Illegal Mining

President Mills exchanging greetings with Daasebre Oti Boateng, the President of the Eastern Regional House of Chiefs during a durbar of chiefs in Koforidua.

President John Evans Atta Mills has expressed strong aversion to illegal mining and the pollution of water bodies in the country and urged the chiefs and people in mining communities to partner the government to fight that canker.

He said the government’s efforts at capturing the commanding heights of development could only materialise with the concerted commitment of all.

He spoke against illegal mining and chainsaw operations and said the law would deal with those engaged in those anti-social practices.

Addressing a durbar of the chiefs and people of the Eastern Region at the Jubilee Park in Koforidua to begin a three-day tour of the region, President Mills said, “Unless we fight this canker collectively, we will live to regret.”

He drew attention to the dangers inherent in the use of poisonous chemicals such as cyanide and mercury to extract minerals from water bodies, saying, “If we do not take proactive action to address this, our development efforts will dwindle as a result of the health hazards posed by contaminated water bodies.”

Commenting on the depletion of forests as a result of the rampant felling of trees, the President underscored the need to protect forests by growing more trees, adding, “If the last tree dies, the last man dies.”

He said he had decided to embark on the tour of the region to acquaint himself with the massive development being undertaken by his administration in fulfilment of its “Better Ghana” agenda.

The President said it was very important to meet traditional leaders who were the custodians of the land before visiting other areas of the region, adding that traditional leaders were partners in development.

The Eastern Regional Minister, Dr Kwasi Apea-Kubi, said the Mills administration had, within two and a half years, undertaken the construction of more than 470 projects, at the cost of GH¢62 million, with 80 per cent of them in the educational and health sectors.

On education, he said the government had, since 2009, provided 263 structures in the region, at the cost of GH¢54.52 million, with some of the projects completed, while others were at various stages of completion.

He said 74 health and sanitation projects had been initiated at the cost of GH¢3 million, adding, “Some of these projects have been completed and are being used, while others are at various stages of completion.”

On the road sector, Dr Apea-Kubi said currently15 feeder road projects, covering a distance of 90 kilometres, were under construction in various parts of the region.

He said the nature of work on those roads included surfacing, upgrading, rehabilitation and spot improvement.

The Omanhene of the New Juaben Traditional Area, Daasebre (Professor Emeritus) Oti Boateng, commended the President for his style of leadership, noting that his role had culminated in the peace that the country currently enjoyed.

He called on the government to establish a public university in the region and also set up an oil and gas scholarship scheme to support brilliant, needy students to pursue higher education.

He thanked the government for successfully tarring the Mpraeso, Asamankese, Nsawam, Nkawkaw and Obomeng town roads.

The Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Mr Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo, launched the Local Enterprise and Skill Development Programme (LESDEP) aimed at creating sustainable local enterprises and said the initiative was a specialised employment creation programme that sought to provide requisite skills, tools and training for the youth which would eventually make them self-employed.

Registered under the auspices of the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development (MLGRD), LESDEP is a private initiative to offer specialised training, in collaboration with the Ministry of Employment and Social Welfare and other agencies.

The company has successfully opened offices in all 170 metropolises, municipalities and districts.