The Lands and Natural Resources Minister, Samuel Abdulai Jinapor has paid a working visit to the Western Regional Minister, Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah as well as the Regional Security Council (REGSEC).

This forms part of his three-day working visit to the Western Region.

Speaking to the media after meeting with the Council, the Lands Minister said on top of the agenda was the issue of illegal mining in the area.

According to him, this was so because the Western Region is highly endowed with natural resources thus making it a prime target for the nefarious activities of these illegal small scale miners.

He stated that, “The Western regional minister has already begun the fight, taken the bull by the horns and I believe most of you have seen the report of the work he’s doing, himself and the Regional Security Council on how to sanitise and regularise the small scale mining industry, and I must commend him highly for the work he’s doing.”

He explained that the President is not against small scale mining, rather he seeks to promote it in a sustainable and robust manner, however, he [the President] abhors the activities of the illegal small scale miners will go all lengths to ensure that their activities are halted.

He said, “We’ve had this meeting, I’ve communicated to them the resolve of the president that he’s not against mining, on the contrary he wants to build a robust sustainable mining industry which has regard for the environment. This is what the president seeks to achieve here in Ghana.

But he’s vehemently opposed to the illegalities of the small scale mining and the president is against that, he’s against the pollution of our water bodies, the destruction of the environment and he’s charged myself and the security architecture of our country to ensure that we flush out illegalities out of the industry and that’s what we’re working on.”

The Minister will also visit the palace of Nana Kobina Nketsia V, the Esikado-Omanhene before he starts his meetings of the Regional Land and Forest sector agencies.

He will end his day’s agenda with a meeting with the Municipal Chief Executive and District Chief Executives in the region.