The Minister of Lands and Forestry, John Peter Amewu, has hinted that government would soon start using drones and other modern technology to fight illegal mining in Ghana to ensure the protection of water bodies.
Illegal miing, known in local parlance as “galamsey” has polluted almost all the water bodies in the country. This has resulted in the drying up of these water bodies, making it virtualy impossible for the Ghana Water Company Limited to get water for treatmetbns and spply to the people.
Mr. John Peter Amewu, who disclosed this during a visit to the Anglogold Ashanti Mine (AGA) at Obuasi last Friday said the government was talking to the Driver and Vechilce Licensing Authorty (DVLA) to plant trackers into earth movng equipment, which are used to polute water bodies in Ghana by illegal miners, who are operating deep inside our forests.
Minister Amewu noted that about 40 to 60 percent of the earth moving equipment brought into Ghana for construction purposes are into found ono the roads, according to research findings available to him.
He revealed: “They are in the deep forest excavating into our water bodies. We are going to put tracking devices on them to see how we will identify these people at a particular spots.”
He continued that talks are being held to engage drone companies to address the pollution of water bodies.
“Very soon, we will; take one river and do a demonstration along that river body to see how we can take these people out. We will fly drones along tehm as a monotoriing device with police posted alling them, like the marine police, to montor it.”
The visibily worried minister stressed: “Mining in the river bodies cannot continue; it is criminal, crue and wicked.”
<<Print>>