The Minister of Lands and Natural Resources has disbanded all unauthorised security task forces involved in combating illegal small-scale mining.

A statement issued by the minister to that effect said: “The operations of all such unauthorised task forces and/or parallel security outfits should cease and be disbanded with immediate effect”.

The ministry reiterated “its unwavering commitment to realising the national policy on small-scale mining, which is to preserve our water bodies, forest reserves, and sanitise the sector”.

Read the minister’s full statement below:

UNAUTHORISED ‘TASK FORCES’ PARALLEL ‘SECURITY OUTFITS’ TO CEASE THEIR OPERATIONS

I refer to the ongoing security operation dubbed “Operation Halt”, mounted by the Ghana Armed Forces to preserve the “red zones”, i.e our water bodies and forest reserves.

The operation is being conducted under the express instruction of the President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, and is being overseen by the Ministry of National Security.

It has come to the attention of the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources that certain unauthorised “Task Forces” and/or security operatives have taken advantage of the ongoing Operation Halt to harass small-scale miners across the country.

For the avoidance of doubt, the government is not against lawful, regulated and sustainable small-scale mining.

‘Operation Halt’ relates exclusively to the purging of our water bodies and forest reserves of illegal small-scale mining.

There continue to be measures to deal with other forms of illegalities in the mining sector such as enhanced regulation, reformation of permitting regime, community mining and other enforcement mechanisms which the ministry is pursuing.

The operations of all such unauthorised task forces and/or parallel security outfits should cease and be disbanded with immediate effect.

The ministry reiterates its unwavering commitment to realise the national policy on small-scale mining, which is to preserve our water bodies, forest reserves, and sanitise the sector.

END

SIGNED

HON. SAMUEL A. JINAPOR, MP

MINISTER OF LANDS AND NATURAL RESOURCES