Parliament’s Assurance Committee shows Minerals Commission Boss samples from 13 rivers and streams

Parliament’s Assurances Committee conducted a public hearing into the galamsey crisis yesterday, October 7,2024.

The CEO of the Minerals Commission, Mr. Martin Ayisi appeared before the committee.

The Committee then showed him collected samples from their visit to 13 rivers and streams.

It was evident that apart from the Volta River all rivers visited have been polluted and totally ravaged by irresponsible mining.

The Assurances Committee urged him to reconsider his institution’s position which is against overwhelming demands from the Ghanaian people to ban all forms of small scale mining and to stop recommending to the Lands Minister the issuance of fresh mining licenses.

According to the Chairman of the Committee, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, it is most depressing to discover that the Minerals Commission is not receiving the kind of support it needs from the security services to clamp down on illegal mining.

He revealed that Mr. Ayisi complained about numerous reports they have filed about illegal mining as regulators which have not been acted upon citing the example of illegal mining going on behind the Anyinam Police Station in the Attiwa East District which they have reported on countless occasions but the destructive galamsey activities have continued with impunity.

The CEO promised to investigate a number of issues raised including MMDCEs obtaining mining licenses in their respective jurisdictions.

He is expected to present the outcomes to the committee.

Mr. Ablakwa further noted that hearing has brought up many useful perspectives for the consideration of Parliament when they present their comprehensive report shortly.

By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme