Bono Regional Minister pledges to fight illegal mining

 The Bono Re­gional Minister, Mr Joseph Adae Akwaboa, has asserted that illegal mining (galamsey) and unlawful logging practices, which are detrimental to water bodies and forest reserves in certain communities within the region, will be eradicated during his administration.

He emphasised that he had the unwavering support of President John Dramani Mahama to take decisive action against individuals participating in these harmful ac­tivities, with the aim of safeguard­ing and preserving the environ­ment from further degradation.

The prevalence of galamsey and illegal logging in the Dormaa West and Banda districts has led the government to estab­lish a security post to eliminate the offenders engaged in these activities.

“On Wednesday, we had a tip-off that some people were moving excavators to Banda and to start mining on River Wei, we quickly moved in to stop the activities, “he stated.

The Bono Regional Minister announced this during a meet­ing with journalists on Friday in Sunyani upon assumption of office.

The purpose of the meeting was to provide him with an op­portunity to present his plans and vision regarding the development initiatives he aims to pursue, as well as to seek the media’s sup­port in realising these objectives.

He said his administration among other things had prior­itised to safeguard the peace and stability of the region and pledged to work hard to strength­en it to enhance socio-economic development of the region.

He said “per security briefings he had received so far indicated that there was no security threat in the region except some chief­taincy disputes which he noted brought about breaches of the peace of the region.”

Mr Akwaboa however appealed to the media to be circumspect in reporting on such matters and avoid unguided reports which could potentially derail and en­danger efforts at addressing such sensitive issues.

He further expressed his com­mitment to diligently address the inadequate road infrastructure in the region, which he identified as a significant impediment to socio-economic development. He stated that the long-neglected outer and inner Sunyani road projects would soon be revitalised to ease the challenges faced by motorists.

Regarding the issue of unem­ployment, Mr Akwaboa declared his intention to proactively create job opportunities for the youth by establishing small-scale industries aimed at processing cashew nuts and apples into finished products within the cashew value chain.

Additionally, the acting chair­person of the Ghana Journalists Association in the region, Regina Benne Siaw, briefly remarked on the media’s commitment to fostering a productive partnership with the Bono Regional Coordi­nating Council for their shared benefit.

“We hope to engage in a con­structive dialogue with your office to deepen our mutual relationship for the development of the Bono Region,” he said.

 FROM DANIEL DZIRASAH, SUNYANI

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