Government is fighting off claims that the battle to end illegal mining in the country has been lost.

According to the Lands and Natural Resources Minister, Samuel Abu Jinapor, President Akufo-Addo has been consistent in his fight against the canker.

He insists that he has the backing of the President to fight illegal mining despite recent allegations of high-level political interference.

“The presidency headed by President Akufo-Addo will not countenance that. The President will not countenance any interference. If there is one person who has been committed to this fight against illegal small-scale mining, it is President Akufo-Addo.

“I've worked with him closely and I mean, closely and I do know that his commitment to this fight is totally unflinching,” he stressed.

Mr Jinapor made these comments while speaking to the press on the sidelines of a National Youth Conference on national resource and environmental governance.

It follows expressions of disapproval by sections of the public on the President’s promise to put his presidency on the line to fight galamsey relative to what has been achieved so far, as well as the leakage of a damning report by former Environment Minister, Prof Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng suggesting official collusion and doublespeak are to blame for a failed fight against illegal mining.

But the Lands Minister, says “It will be scandalous and it will be far-fetched and it will be impossible for President Akufo-Addo to interfere in the fight against illegal small-scale mining.”

This, he explained, is because the President has given him the mandate to deal with the canker.

“Indeed, on the contrary, he is the man who's given me all the courage, given me all the strength, given me all the backing and authority and mandate to frontal in dealing with this matter.”