Convener of the Media Coalition Against Illegal Mining, Dr. Ken Ashigbey is strongly warning Chiefs in the Volta Region and other areas not affected by illegal mining activities to stay away from giving lands for ‘galamsey’ activities.

According to him, if the chiefs fail to heed the warning, "and they give their lands out to any groups to start doing this irresponsible mining, we will mobilise the youth and we will take their slippers or sandals off their feet.

His reaction follows a comment by the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel Abu Jinapor that there will be an increased prospecting of gold in the Volta Region in the coming days.

But Mr. Ashigbey says any such attempts will be resisted.

According to him, the regions not affected by the menace “are better off keeping the gold down and ensuring that we have responsible mining than anything of this nature coming.”

“Nobody should be accepting these things in some of these things in any of the new areas again,” he added.

Meanwhile, a JoyNews’ documentary dubbed, ‘Destruction for Gold’ has uncovered an ongoing degradation of the Tano Nimiri Forest Reserve at Samreboi in the Western Region despite the Lands Ministry’s declaration that no license has been issued for minerals prospecting in any forest reserve across the country.

Luv News can confirm large portions of the reserve estimated at about 12 football fields have already been destroyed by mining activities linked to Akonta Mining Limited.