The Western Regional House of Chiefs has inaugurated a non-governmental organisation (NGO) to implement strategies to help curb the illegal mining (galamsey) menace in the region.

The NGO, dubbed: “Positive Action for Environmental Protection Ghana (PAFEP-WRC-GH), is to aid the government in the fight against galamsey, and protect the environment and water bodies from the devastation caused by the menace.

Speaking on the theme: “Positive Action For Environmental Protection: Shared Responsibility”, Nana Kobina Nketsia V, President of the Western Regional House of Chiefs, said the “Positive Action Now” slogan must resonate with all Ghanaians to take responsibility and partner with the government to safeguard the environment from the galamsey menace.

Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, thanked the Western Regional House of Chiefs for supporting the government to fight galamsey and restore the environment.

He said the government had devised various strategies to curb the canker, including a new licensing regime where issuance of mining permits began with chiefs, the Assembly, and community leaders.

He said the government had started regulating the importation of excavators, noting that miners were now required to show proof of legal mining documents before importing excavators into the country.

Buah stated that due to this new regulation, about 1,300 excavators without documents had been locked up in Accra as part of the geo-fencing and tracking policy. Other measures put in place were the tree for life initiative, responsible Cooperative Mining and Skills Development (rCOMDESP), and the establishment of National Illegal Mining Operation Secretariat (NAIMOS) and the Blue Water Guards.

Awulae Agyevi Kwame, Paramount Chief of Nsein Traditional Area, said galamsey activities wreaked havoc on railway tracks and Ghana Gas pipelines, and called other traditional leaders to rise and stem the tide.

Herbert Kuah-Dickson, Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for Nzema-East, stressed the need to involve family heads and farmers in the fight against galamsey.

He asked the media to ensure accurate reportage on mining and correct the misconception that “everyone in small-scale mining is doing illegal mining.”