Continue burning excavators in galamsey fight — KTU Council Chair urges government

The Council Chairman of Koforidua Technical University, Professor Samuel Apori, has urged government not to backtrack on their earlier operational strategies of burning excavators and other mining equipment used by illegal miners in their illegal activities.

According to the academician and environmentalist, this operational strategy was sending a strong signal and deterring other recalcitrant illegal miners from venturing into galamsey.

Professor Samuel Apori also called for a bipartisan approach to crash out illegal mining and make it unattractive to protect the environment and water bodies.

“The president and his government should be assisted on a bipartisan basis to be resolute to burn, destroy tools, implements, machinery and prosecute galamseyers and their collaborators irrespective of their political, religious and socioeconomic status.”

Professor Samuel Apori further called on all public servants and other regulatory bodies whose duty is to police, safe guard and ensure the protection of water, the environment and the mineral resources of the state not to relent on their efforts and deliver their mandates without fear or favor.

Professor Samuel Apori who doubles as the Chief of Akyem Hemang in the Fanteakwa South District of the Eastern Region has waged a war on illegal mining and lumbering in his community over the years and recently won an environmental court case against the Akyem Abuakwa Traditional State.