Lands Minister Reiterates Ban On Mining In Forest Reserves

The Lands and Natural Resources Minister, Abu Jinapor, has reiterated the importance of the freeze on the issuance of mining permits in forests.

This, according to Mr. Jinapor, is to minimise the depletion of the country’s forest reserves, to an extent, contributed to by illegal mining.

He first gave the directive after holding a marathon meeting with the Chief Executive Officer and management of the Forestry Commission to mark International Day of Forest on March 23.

Speaking at the inauguration of the National Planning Committee of the Green Ghana Project in Accra, Mr. Jinapor reminded Ghanaians that “in the interim, the government has since given instructions to the Forestry Commission except in exceptional circumstances not to issue forest entry permits for the purposes of mining.”

“Collectively and with a determined resolve, we must and will be able to implement measures to regulate small scale mining and eliminate or reduce its adverse consequences on the environment,” he added.

The Minister also explained the rationale behind the ambitious tree-planting project across the country called the Green Ghana Project.

“This project will see to the initial planting of five million trees in a day across our country,” Mr. Jinapor explained.

The exercise is scheduled to take place on Friday, June 11.

The President, the Speaker of Parliament, the Chief Justice, the Asantehene, Yaa-Naa, among other prominent citizens are expected to plant commemorative trees.