Founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Sunyani-based Global Media Foundation (GLOMeF) Raphael Godlove Ahenu, has indicated that government will win the fight against illegal mining if it starts creating alternative employment opportunities through vocational and technical training.

He said those young men and women engaged in illegal mining have no alternative jobs, the reason why they find themselves in the illicit venture.

Mr Ahenu who spoke with journalists in the Bono regional town of Sunyani stated that; “I commend the government for the effort to stop illegal mining but they need to get the youth busy elsewhere, otherwise we are only pouring water in a basket”.

He urged President Akufo-Addo not to succumb to any external influence to stop the fight against illegal mining since the devastating impacts on Ghanaian society far outweigh the so-called benefits from those external forces.

“The fight against the menace, when sustained, will bring positive outcomes and further stop the destruction of Ghana’s water bodies and vegetation,” Mr Ahenu added.

He stated that some International Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) are prepared to assist communities affected by mining activities but such communities must also put up a united front to benefit from the assistance.

The CEO of GLOMeF further expressed displeasure about the government’s silence over the years on persistent human rights abuses going on in mining-affected communities in Ghana.

According to him, despite several available evidence of awful human rights abuses in mining-affected communities, ranging from widespread pollution of water sources, deprivation and loss of livelihoods government has remained unconcerned about the plights of its citizens.

“Incidents of police and military excesses occur in mining communities.

There were periodic exercises carried out by the military and police coded “Operation Flush Out” during which excesses occurred but the government seems not interested to order some probes,” he pointed out.