The Eastern Regional Minister Eric Kwakye Darfour has revealed that the Regional Security Council (REGSEC) will be meeting on Monday August 14, 2017 over the killing of four illegal small-scale miners (galamseyers) at a galamsey site in the Atiwa West District of the region.
On Sunday August 13, four galamseyers were allegedly killed by members of the Operation Vanguard taskforce set by the government to deal with the illicit mining trade in the country.
The four were said to be moving their excavator from their mining site when the taskforce accosted them. In the ensuing confrontation, the four were killed and their bodies left in the galamsey pit filled with water.
Speaking on this development in an interview with Chief Jerry Forson, host of Ghana Yensom on Accra 100.5FM on Monday August 14, the Regional Minister said: “This development is unfortunate. The regional Security Council will be meeting on this matter and look at the way forward.”
He added: “This government and for that matter the President is not against mining in the country, what the government is against is illegal mining that is destroying the water bodies and the environment.”
Meanwhile, the Secretary of the Ghana National Association of Small Scale Miners, Michael Kojo Peprah, condemned the aggressiveness of the task force and called on the president to address the galamsey menace without shedding blood.
“You can’t live in your country with fear. What is happening is so appalling and we are calling on Nana Addo. It is good we are all fighting against galamsey but in so doing must we lose lives?” He questioned.
Source: Ghana/AccraFM.com
