Lands and Natural Resources Minister Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah has reiterated the country’s political will to reverse the degradation of forest reserves and restore natural water sources.
During a joint press briefing with Ghana Water Limited, the state-owned water utility company, on Wednesday, Buah said that since most of the water bodies take their sources from the major forest reserves, the destruction of these forests threatens Ghana’s water security.
According to him, illegal mining activities have destroyed 5,500 hectares of Ghana’s pristine forest reserves, which is equivalent to 7,500 football fields.
He said the government has now adopted a more coordinated approach to fight illegal mining, not only sending soldiers but also educating even law enforcement agencies to understand what is at stake.
The government has started the tree-for-life afforestation initiative that is tackling the issue from two fronts, including the planting of trees and the restoration of water bodies in their natural state, he added.
Moreover, Buah said the government has deployed guards along the major rivers to report any mining activities along these rivers for prompt action, with urgent work also underway to overhaul the Minerals and Mining Act to plug all the loopholes exploited by illegal miners. Enditem
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