Lands Minister Says Calls For His Resignation Misguided: "There's No Need"
- Samuel Abu Jinapor has dismissed calls for him to resign from his role as Minister for Lands and Natural Resources
- According to him, his resignation or removal from office will not stop the Galamsey menace
- He has urged his critics, which include civil society organisations and labour unions, to collaborate with the government to end the menace
The Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel Abu Jinapor, said he disagrees with calls for his removal following his latest remark about the galamsey menace in Ghana.
The minister stated that while people are entitled to their opinions in a democracy, calls for his removal are misguided and would not achieve the results his critics desire.
Source: UGC
Civil society organisations and labour unions have demanded Samuel Abu Jinapor's resignation after he dismissed calls to declare a state of emergency in galamsey-affected areas.
The minister argued that declaring a state of emergency was far-reaching and could have unintended consequences for the country.
PAY ATTENTION: All celebrity news in one place! Follow YEN's Facebook Broadcast channel and read on the go.
However, civil society organisations and labour unions interpreted the minister’s response as dismissing the devastation caused by galamsey and the grave threat the menace poses to human lives and the environment. They demanded his immediate resignation from office.
Responding to these calls, Jinapor told JoyFM on Thursday, September 12, 2024, that calls for his removal or the president’s impeachment are needless.
According to him, despite the government’s shortcomings in dealing with the menace, it has made significant strides in combating illegal mining.
He stated that the fight against galamsey cannot be a government-only initiative and has called on all stakeholders to join the government in a collective effort to end the menace once and for all.
He said the government was very committed to the matter, which was the most important thing.
Jinapor also rejected claims that he has failed to control the galamsey menace According to him, while he does not analyse his performance from a failure or success viewpoint, he understands that the government framework to combat galamsey may need some tweaking to improve outcomes.
GWCL says galamsey causing water shortage
The growing calls against galamsey were triggered by a Ghana Water Company Limited press release, which warned that illegal mining on the River Pra could affect the water supply to Cape Coast, Elmina and their environs.
The GWCL said the water in their catchment area of abstraction had been heavily polluted by silt, making it harder to purify.
The company said it could produce only about 7,500m³/day, a quarter of its installed capacity.
GWCL calls for military intervention
YEN.com.gh reported that to curb the situation, the Managing Director of the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL), Dr Clifford Braimah, urged the government to declare water bodies in the country as security zones and place them under the protection of the Ghana Armed Forces.
Dr Braimah explained that destroying the country’s water bodies is a national security issue and must be treated urgently.
He said the current practice of the military being deployed to the forest for only a short time is unhelpful.
Proofread by Edwina N.K Quarcoo, journalist and copy editor at YEN.com.gh.
PAY ATTENTION: Stay informed and follow us on Google News!
Source: YEN.com.gh
