Media Commended Over Role In Galamsey Fight

Deputy Minister of Information, Perry Curtis Okudzeto has lauded the media for their role in the fight against illegal mining.

The government last year began a massive campaign to halt activities of illegal miners popularly known as galamsey.

The move which received nationwide commendation was resisted by some illegal miners which often resulted in confrontations with a taskforce set up by the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources to fight the menace.

Speaking with a cross-section of the media in the Volta Regional capital, Ho, Mr Okudzeto said the government could not have made the giant strides in fighting the menace if the media had not actively participated.

He urged the media to continuously assist in the fight against galamsey and in government’s quest to develop the country through various programmes initiated.

Mr Okudzeto enumerated the roll out of government’s free SHS education policy; restoration of the teacher-nursing training allowance; policy by government not to buy new vehicles; the launch of the National Identification cards, the Zongo Development Fund, one-village-one dam, and the reductions and abolishment in taxes as some of the achievements chalked in 2017.

The Volta Regional Minister, Dr Achibald Letsa who was part of the meeting said 2018 would be a year of action, and called on the media to cooperate with the government and other development partners in building the country.

The Volta Regional Chairman of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), Mr Anthony Bells Kafui Kanyi was hopeful that the cordial relationship that has existed between the current administration and the media, particularly in the Volta Region would be strengthened to enable journalists to track and monitor development projects by the government.