Atwima Kwanwoma DCE calls for sustainable mining practices

– Mrs Grace Agyemang Asamoah, the District Chief Executive (DCE) for Atwima Kwanwoma, has called on small-scale miners in the district to adopt sustainable mining practices to protect the environment and preserve land for future generations.

She said mining activities must be carried out responsibly to minimise environmental degradation and ensure that lands affected by mining are reclaimed and restored for productive use.

Mrs Asamoah made the call during an inspection of ongoing reclamation works at degraded mining sites at Nweneso No. 2 in the district.

The visit was aimed at assessing the progress of the reclamation exercise and evaluating the prospects of restoring the affected lands for agriculture and other productive purposes.

The DCE expressed optimism that the reclaimed lands could support farming and other development initiatives once the restoration process was completed.

She urged miners to take responsibility for the environmental impact of their operations by properly filling mining pits and reclaiming degraded lands after extraction activities.

Mrs Asamoah emphasised that responsible mining was critical to protecting the environment, preventing accidents associated with abandoned pits, and preserving land resources for future development.

She noted that the Government remained committed to combating illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey, while promoting mining practices that complied with the country’s mining and environmental regulations.

The DCE, however, emphasisd that the fight against illegal mining required the collective efforts of government institutions, security agencies, traditional authorities, miners, and local communities.

She therefore appealed to all stakeholders to support enforcement efforts and ensure that mining activities within the district were conducted in accordance with the law.

Mrs Asamoah assured residents that the Assembly would continue to monitor mining activities and collaborate with relevant institutions to promote responsible mining and ensure the effective reclamation of degraded lands.

Some residents of Nweneso No. 2 commended the DCE for the Assembly’s continued engagement with communities affected by mining and urged the authorities to sustain monitoring and enforcement exercises.

Mrs Asamoah was accompanied on the inspection tour by the District Information Officer, District Environmental Officer, members of the District Taskforce and personnel of the Ghana Police Service.

GNA