Minister-designate for Environment, Science and Technology, Dr Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings, has called for stronger coordination among government institutions as Ghana intensifies efforts to tackle illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey.
Appearing before Parliament’s Appointments Committee on Thursday, August 27, the minister-designate described the fight against illegal mining and the damage it causes to the environment and human life as an “all-of-government and all-of-society imperative.”
According to her, the problem requires various ministries, departments and agencies to work together rather than relying on isolated interventions.
She said effective coordination would be key to addressing the issue, particularly because illegal mining often occurs within local government jurisdictions, where agencies such as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) also operate.
Dr Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings further stressed the importance of regular reporting, saying it would improve transparency and allow government to assess whether interventions were producing the desired results.
“If I get the approval from this committee and from the House,” she said, “I would want to sit with the relevant ministers of the various ministries that have an interest in the fight,” including the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources and the Ministry responsible for Local Government.
She said bringing the relevant institutions together would help create a more coordinated and effective response to illegal mining and its consequences.
