Parliament will actively join the fight against illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey, by demanding strict accountability from the Minerals Commission and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Majority Leader Mahama Ayariga has announced.

Addressing the opening of Parliament, Mr Ayariga said President John Mahama’s recent engagement with the nation on illegal mining had set the tone for a renewed national effort to combat the menace.

“During this meeting, this House will build needed collaboration and collation of MPs to join the fight against galamsey. After all, it is happening in our various constituencies and by our own constituents,” he stated.

He stressed that Parliament held the key to solving the problem and would insist on transparency in the issuance of mining prospecting licences and leases, as well as their environmental implications.

“We will demand full accountability of the Minerals Commission and the Environmental Protection Agency in the way mining prospecting licences are awarded and leases issued,” Mr Ayariga said.

The Majority Leader acknowledged the multi-faceted approach being taken by the Mahama administration and urged MPs to support it, noting that illegal mining had both environmental and social consequences.

“We perhaps hold the key to solving this problem,” he concluded, calling for a united front across the House.