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Lands and Natural Resources Minister John Peter Amewu at a familiarization tour of the AngloGold Ashanti (AGA’s) mining site in Obuasi has promised to stop the attitude of political bigwigs who allegedly front for prospective investors to engage in illegal mining and destroy water bodies.

He said the days of rhetorics were over and that he had the full backing of President Nana Akufo-Addo to crack the whip irrespective of one's political stand.

However, National Democratic Congress [NDC] Communications Team Member, William Afum Ani-Adjei aka Obama during a panel dicussion on UTV’s ‘Adekye Nsroma’ programme said “I won’t doubt the fact that the minister for Lands and Natural Resources through the backing of the president would want to embark on such an exercise which is of great worry to all citizens especially areas who have lost their social amenities under the watch of illegal miners. But he must as well put up strong armour to treat all persons who fall victim of the law equal to achieve his bold step."

According to him, Galamsey in Ghana has become an area discussed everyday but he feels it gets worse anytime it is discussed because the same individuals who will help solve the problem are the persons involved in the act, therefore preventing it to be well dealt-with.   

‘Obama’ as he is usually called emphasized that some of such persons are chiefs, politicians and top officials in government who stay behind the scenes and mobilize persons to mine on their behalf.

“This makes it possible for such persons to illegally mine without fear knowing they have the strong backing of a public figure who will get them out of trouble should they fall victim,” he added.