Minister Vows To Fight Galamsey

Dr Kwasi Akyem Apea-Kubi, the Eastern Regional Minster, has vowed to end the illegal diamond and gold mining activities, popularly called galamsey, in the region. He said his outfit is collaborating with the security forces in the region to fight the practice adding that �the menace needs firm action and we are going to ensure that the situation reaches a satisfactory conclusion. We cannot sit idle and look at our rich natural resources being destroyed in such a manner�. Dr Apea-Kubi said this at Kyebi when he paid a courtesy call on the Okyehene, Osagyefo Amoatia Ofori-Panyin, on Wednesday. He said he was concerned with the way the galamsey activities were destroying the forest reserves, the land and the water resources of the region adding that if that situation persisted, generations would suffer for it. Dr Apea-Kubi said security personnel would soon be dispatched to suspected galamsey sites to mount attacks on them. Osagyefo Amoatia Ofori-Panyin lauded the Minister�s intended actions and called on all stakeholders and the people of Akyem-Abuakwa to rally behind him to put an end to the menace in the area. He also called on government to strengthen the decentralization process in the country adding that �if we do not decentralize the country, we can never see our own potentials. That is why I support the idea of electing our Municipal and District Chief Executives so that they can be accountable to the indigenes in the society.� He dismissed as untrue the rumour that he was personally involved in the galamsey activities in the area.