Accra: Responsible and environmentally sustainable mining practices are critical in the ongoing national fight against illegal mining activities. Mr Erastus Asare Donkoh, an environmental journalist, who stated this, said the enforcement of laws on responsible mining were indispensable components of efforts to safeguard forests and water bodies from degradation caused by unregulated mining activities.
According to Ghana News Agency, Mr Asare Donkoh, in an interview, urged for stronger supervision of mining operations to ensure adherence to established environmental and legal standards. He emphasized that stakeholders and the government were intensifying campaigns to transition miners from illegal mining operations to safer and regulated practices. This transition involves key agencies such as the Environmental Protection Agency, aiming to protect lives, conserve natural resources, and support community development.
Mr Asare Donkor highlighted the necessity for stakeholders to call on the government, traditional authorities, and mining communities to collaborate in promoting responsible mining. He stressed the importance of educating the public on environmental risks and ensuring strict monitoring and enforcement of mining regulations, which are essential strategies to curb the menace of illegal mining.
He further noted the severe pollution of major rivers and destruction of large tracts of forest reserves and farmlands across the country due to illegal mining activities. This destruction poses serious threats to water security, biodiversity, and livelihoods in affected communities. The degradation of water bodies has, in some cases, disrupted water treatment processes and increased the cost of providing potable water to communities.
Mr Asare Donkor also emphasized the need for strengthening community awareness and providing alternative livelihood opportunities for youth in mining areas to reduce the attraction to illegal mining. He called for sustained collaboration among government agencies, civil society organizations, and local communities to ensure that mining contributes positively to economic development without compromising the environment for future generations.
He concluded by stating that responsible mining, when properly regulated and monitored, could create employment opportunities, generate revenue for local development, and restore degraded lands while protecting Ghana's natural resources.