The minister designate for the Central region Kweku Rickets-Hagan has vowed to end illegal mining activities in the region.

The country has been plagued with the activities of illegal mining with the environment being the worst affected.

The activities of illegal miners popularly known as galamsey in the Denkyira traditional area in the Central region was condemned by the President, John Dramani Mahama last year for the extent of damage done to the environment.

Answering questions during his vetting at the Appointments Committee Wednesday, February 10, 2016, Rickets-Hagan said he will do everything within his power to ensure that all illegal activities in the region are flushed out.

“I will make sure that I will do my best and tackle anything that is illegal in the region,” Rickets-Hagan said.

A report by the Today Newspaper recently revealed that a lot of water bodies in gold mining communities in Western, Ashanti, Central and Northern regions have been badly polluted as a result of illicit artisanal small-scale gold mining and illegal mining activities in those areas.

Sources of water in these gold mining areas were contaminated by chemicals used by illegal miners in their gold mining activities, leading to mass diarrhoea attack on residents, according to the report.