The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has begun a nationwide media engagement campaign aimed at raising public awareness about the importance of land reclamation in the mining sector.

The move is part of a renewed effort by the agency to enforce environmental regulations and hold legal and illegal miners accountable for the destruction of lands under their watch.

Speaking an engagement with journalists in Kumasi, EPA officials emphasized that reclamation is not optional but a critical legal obligation for all licensed mining companies.

The agency says it is alarmed by the increasing number of legal miners abandoning mined-out areas without restoring them, thereby causing irreversible damage to the environment.

According to the EPA, the media plays a crucial role in sensitizing the public and exposing violators.

The agency’s Acting Director for Mining, Mrs. Jennifer Kwapong, noted that while much attention has been placed on illegal mining, some legally operating miners have been equally negligent in fulfilling their reclamation responsibilities.

The EPA says it will soon launch a compliance monitoring exercise across the country, targeting mining concessions to assess the status of reclamation.

Companies found flouting the rules will face administrative sanctions, including possible revocation of licenses, fines, and legal action.

The media engagement, according to the EPA, is part of a broader environmental governance agenda that includes community sensitization, stakeholder dialogue, and enforcement of the Environmental Assessment Regulations.