Banda: Mr Peter Dongi, the Banda District Chief Executive in the Bono Region, has called on the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources (MLNR) and the Minerals Commission to design a community mining scheme to address the growing illegal mining activities in the district. He highlighted the potential of such a scheme to provide decent jobs for the unemployed youth, which would help curb the illegal mining and protect the district’s vegetative and forest covers as well as water bodies.

According to Ghana News Agency, Mr Dongi acknowledged the role of small-scale mining in job creation and local economic growth, emphasizing its importance for sustainable development. He urged the MLNR and the Commission to enforce stricter regulations to prevent mining around water bodies and forest reserves, ensuring that these areas are protected from encroachment by mining companies.

Mr Dongi commended the MLNR for its decision to declare forests and rivers as security zones in the fight against illegal mining. He also called on the Ministry to define new and protected mining zones and to train small-scale miners on the environmental impacts of mercury use in gold processing and land reclamation techniques.

The Banda District Assembly is committed to tackling illegal mining and seeks the support of stakeholders, including traditional authorities and community members, in combating this challenge.