Lands Minister, John Peter Amewu has received the Pan-African Enterprise and Achievers Award after he was adjudged the best performing minister for 2017.

The award recognises the Minister's extraordinary role in the government's "bold initiative" to clamp down on illegal mining blamed for the destruction of the environment.

The customised golden plaque was presented to Mr Amewu by Director-General of the Bureau of Research, Governance, Commerce Administration, Professor Victor Yankah on Wednesday.

"The government's efforts [to stop galamsey] have started yielding the results and based on this last year we wanted to give him this award," Prof Yankah said.

He explained the gesture by the Bureau is to inform all Ministers that whatever they do the citizens and organisations are "watching them."

"Although it is a token, nonetheless we hope it will do something for him," he said of the Lands Minister.

An excited Amewu could not help but to thank the Bureau for recognising the anti-galamsey efforts by the Inter-Ministerial Taskforce led by Science Minister, Professor Frimpong Boateng.

"We will be motivated by this token and this will serve as a trigger," he said, adding he was appointed the Lands Minister to solve problems.

Although he said the Ministry is being burdened with a lot of difficulties including activities of land guards and illegal miners, Mr Amewu said they will overcome.