Minister of Information, Fatima Abubakar has said that the ad hoc ministerial committee set up by the president to address illegal mining in the country had a fruitful meeting with Organised Labour on Tuesday, September 17, 2024, graphic.com.gh reports.

The crunch meeting was convened in response to the increasing rate of illegal mining, also known as galamsey, in the country.

She described the meeting as “very fruitful and encouraging.”

According to the media outlet, the nearly three-hour meeting was attended by several ministers, including the Minister of National Security, Albert Kan-Dapaah (leader of the committee); Samuel Abu Jinapor, Minister of Lands and Natural Resources; Dominic Nitiwul, Minister of Defence; Ignatius Baffour Awuah, Minister of Employment, Labour Relations and Pensions; and the information minister.

The report further added that a close source told the Daily Graphic that the meeting was held behind closed doors. During the meeting, representatives of Organised Labour reiterated previous demands to tackle the galamsey menace in the country, which included banning all forms of small-scale mining, declaring a state of emergency, and improving some mining laws.

“The Ministers of National Security, Lands and Natural Resources, as well as Defence, took turns to provide updates on the current situation on the galamsey fight and some measures by the government; and we hope that a united position will be reached on the way forward soon," graphic.com.gh quoted the source.

The source also informed the Daily Graphic that the government and other stakeholders were urged to collaborate as partners to address the galamsey menace, describing it as a compelling case.

VKB/ADG

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