The National Security Secretariat in the Ashanti Region has imposed a one-month ban on all mining activities and the movement of excavators within the Juaben Municipality as part of efforts to combat illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey, and facilitate land reclamation.
The directive, which takes effect throughout July, was announced by the Deputy Ashanti Regional Security Coordinator, Alhaji Nji Abdallah Umar, after an inspection tour of some mining sites across the municipality.
According to him, the Ashanti Regional Security Council has resolved that the period should be dedicated to reclaiming lands degraded by mining activities and restoring affected water bodies.
Alhaji Umar warned that no mining operations or movement of excavators would be permitted during the period, adding that security agencies have been tasked to enforce the directive.
“The Regional Minister, who chairs the Regional Coordinating Council and the Regional Security Council, has declared that from today, Wednesday, until next month, no mining activities will be permitted in the Juaben Municipality. What we want to see is the reclamation of pits and the restoration of degraded lands,” he said.
