Hon. Francis Owusu Achiaw, Member of Parliament for Juaben Constituency
The Member of Parliament for Juaben Constituency in the Ashanti Region, Hon. Francis Owusu Achiaw, has stated that the rise in illegal mining activities is due to members of the ruling government mining in forest reserves without permits.
According to him, these miners claim their government affiliation allows them to operate without permits.
“There are dozens of miners in forest reserves now who have been emboldened to work without seeking any permit because they claim to be part of the ruling government,” Hon. Owusu Achiaw said during an interview with Dr. Cash on OTEC 102.9 FM’s Dwabrem.
The MP described the situation as worrying, adding that Ghana will struggle to mitigate the adverse environmental effects of illegal mining if this attitude persists.
He criticized the NDC government for delaying their promise to halt mining in forest reserves.
Hon. Owusu Achiaw emphasized that the president must demonstrate commitment by setting a good example and implementing measures, including amending LI 2462.
Source: Ghana/otecfmghana.com/Jacob Agyenim Boateng
