Nii Osah-Mills, Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, has warned licensed small-scale miners not to operate outside the mining regulations.

He said unrestrained destruction of the vegetation and pollution of water bodies would not be accepted.

Speaking at a meeting with the Ekomyeya Co-operative Small-Scale Miners at Bibiani, the Minister urged them to ensure that they reclaimed mined out areas, and covered the mine pits.

Nii Osah-Mills who was on a familiaization tour of mining areas in parts of the Ashanti and Western Regions, advised them to expose illegal miners who wreak havoc on the environment with impunity.

He reminded the people to share in the responsibility of protecting the nation’s natural resources.

The Minister expressed dismay at the extent of pollution of the Offin River through the activities of illegal miners, and said things could not be allowed to continue the way they were going.

Nii Osah-Mills said that was the more reason why District Mining Committees were being formed in mining areas to check the recklessness and restore some level of sanity.

Alhaji Baba Ahmed, National Organiser of the Association of Small-Scale Miners, said the activities of their members were properly monitored to make sure that they conformed to high environmental safety standards.

Alhaji Ahmed indicated that members had been living up to their social responsibilities to the communities in which they had been doing business, citing the sinking of boreholes at Baniekrom, the extension of electricity to Donkoto, and the construction of a clinic at Achiase, a police post at Nagoode and a six-classroom block at Mpatuom.