The Minority in Parliament is asking the Lands and Natural Resources Minister to be serious about ending the ‘galamsey’ canker in the country.

According to him, that is the only way he can absolve himself of any blame.

In a press statement issued on Saturday, October 1, the Minority charged the Minister, Mr Samuel Abdulai Jinapor to consult wider in dealing with the menace.

Even though they do not doubt his competence, the Caucus wants him to take responsibility and help end it.

“While we observe what next the Minister and his government will do after his visit and his surprise at seeing the vast destruction of our environment, which we see as only the tip of the iceberg, we urge the minister to wear sharper glasses and open his mind wider to take needed actions.

“His actions thereafter will help him absolve himself from any blame on him as either a collaborator or an incompetent, urgent of the President in a fight for our lands being destroyed with impunity and annoying gusto.

“We will like to see the government demonstrate responsibility by stopping this lawless conduct and prosecute the defaulters and ensure that companies which are found to engaged in any illegal mining process to reclaim all lands they have destroyed,” excerpts of the release charged.

Meanwhile, the Minister has blamed chiefs, District Chief Executives, regional authorities and opinion leaders for the worsening state of illegal mining in the country.

According to him, their actions and inactions have significantly contributed to the impunity with which illegal miners destroy forests in search of minerals, despite efforts by the government to halt their activities.

Speaking at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) at its Faculty of Renewable Natural Resources’ 40th Anniversary celebration, he noted that it was rather unfair for local authorities to feign ignorance when they notice these illegalities happening.

He has thus called on all and sundry, particularly local authorities to play an active part in ending the canker once and for all.

His comments follow a working visit to Manso Datano in the Amansie South District of the Ashanti Region where hectares of land have been destroyed.

According to him, that volume of destruction could not have happened without the various stakeholders such as chiefs, and district and regional authorities among others being aware of and even aiding these activities.