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There should be a consultative forum and a blueprint by the government in fighting the illegal mining menace following the recent deaths of at least twenty-two illegal miners at Nsuta Prestea in the Western Region.

“The fight against galamsey is much broader than just using military and police or any other security agencies and that we ought to rather take a holistic and all compromising approach,” National Democratic Congress (NDC) lawmaker for Yapei-Kusawgu, Hon. John Abdulai Jinapor suggested.

“I do nothing think that there is a major issue in doing mining. …it is about how it is regulated. …how it is carried out, the safety and the environmental issues,” he stated on Joy FM’s Newsfile.

Government on Monday revealed a full list of twenty-two miners who died in a caved pit and directed the mine be closed down permanently.

“My condolences to the bereaved families . . . this should be a wakeup call and it tells those in this illegal activities that it a very dangerous activity so when government, civil society, media and all the stakeholders are pushing for a curtailment it goes to the direct benefit of the people themselves,” the lawmaker pointed out.

“It is not as if somebody is fighting you and preventing you from getting your bread as they so put it. We are saving your lives.”

Hon. John Abdullah Jinapor therefore admonished the people not to engage illegal mining since their activities have dangerous implications on their lives and the environment.

“If you are going to do mining it should be done in regulated manner, proper manner it can fashioned out away so that it will suit our need and that we do not have a repeat of this. This should be last of such major disaster because clearly it is avoidable,” he prayed.