Tamale – Mr Sulemanu Koney, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Ghana Chamber of Mines has called on government to do more in enforcing the relevant laws on illegal mining to protect the environment.
He said government should also empower security agencies to enable them confiscate equipment used in illegal mining (galamsey) beyond arresting them to make the practice a disincentives to perpetrators.
Mr Koney made the call in Tamale during an interaction at a day’s media workshop for practitioners in the Northern and the Upper East and West Regions.
Organised by GCM, the event aimed at educating the media on current mining laws and mining potentials in the three Northern Regions.
He expressed concern about some illegal mining left uncovered and abandoned by the miners which remained death traps to the host community members.
Mr. Koney applauded mining companies in the country for focusing on operating their core business in a socially-responsible way complemented by investments in host communities and the society in general.
Giving a brief background of how the Chamber came into being, he said the Chamber was incorporated in 1928 as a private non-governmental and voluntary organization representing the collective interest of its member-companies in the country with the objectives of promoting and protecting the interests of the mining industry.
Added to this, the chamber aims at providing thought-leadership for the solution of national issues related to mining and this has been faithfully executed by promoting education and sensitization for employees and contractors in safety-a culture which is carried back to the community, home and family.
Separately, Mr Koney had earlier led a team from the Chamber to pay a courtesy call on Mr Abdallah Adubakari, the Northern Regional Minister where they discussed issues that would help streamline operations of the mining industry.