President Akufo-Addo has reiterated that the ban on illegal mining popularly called galamsey has not been lifted and will not be lifted.

The government has lifted the ban on small-scale mining, effective Monday, December 17.

Minister for Environment, Science, Technology & Innovation, Prof. Kwabena Frimpong Boateng said on Friday, December 14, 2018, that the two-year ban is being lifted because an Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining has successfully developed a comprehensive policy framework to regularise small-scale mining across the country.

He, however, stressed that only small-scale miners that have had mining concessions validated will be allowed to mine in designated areas.

Some critics following the development say the government has lost the will to continue the fight against illegal mining.

But Mr. Akufo-Addo in an ongoing media encounter being held at the seat of government on Wednesday said:”The ban on small-scale mining was never intended to be permanent; It was to enable government fashion a policy to sanitize the sector and ensure that in future small-scale mining which is been with us for centuries will not damage our environment.”

He added: “The measures announced last Friday do exactly that. I cannot and will not give up on the fight to protect our environment.”