The Ranking member on Parliament’s Lands and Forestry Committee, Dr Abdul-Rashid Pelpuo has accused the government of emboldening illegal miners.

His allegation comes after a series of attacks by illegal miners on legal gold mining firms in the country. The most recent one was when a group of illegal miners forcefully, took over portions of Anglo-Gold in the Ashanti Region.

Reacting to this situation on JoyNews’ PM Express, the legislator described it as terrible.

According to him, these happenings attest to the findings of former Environment Minister, Prof Kwabeng Frimpong Boateng – that indeed government officials are involved in the canker.

“Now it is logically the case that the government itself is involved and emboldening the illegal miners to do what they’re doing.

“It is so terrible, it is attacking the very nerve center of our gold industry, the legally acceptable companies that have taken license and have been given the right to mine are being attacked,” he said on Wednesday.

Dr Pelpuo further revealed that the government through the Minerals Commission has from 2021 to 2023 issued licenses to seven companies.

These companies he said have been identified mining in areas that have been declared red zone.

“And the reason I believe that the government is involved is that, in April 2021, the government declared that it was illegal to mine at forest reserves and river beds, however, between 2021 and 2023, seven licenses have been issued by the Minerals Commission to companies. And these companies have been spotted in these red zone areas.”