General News of Saturday, 3 October 2009

Source: GNA

WACAM calls for the protection of forest reserves

Accra, Oct 3, GNA - Mr Daniel Owusu-Koranteng, Director of WACAM, a Non Governmental Organsation, has appealed to government to review the Mining Law, Act 703 of 2006, to prevent mining companies from doing mineral prospecting in forest reserves. He said forest reserves are buffers to the other wood stocks which are being cut for export, and there was the need to take immediate action to stop its depletion.

The law when reviewed, he said, should not only debar those who deplete it, but should also indicate heavy penalties for those who pollute water bodies with Cyanide, a chemical for processing gold. Mr Owusu-Koranteng who was speaking to the Ghana News Agency in an interview

on Thursday, said the new act should define 'no go zones' and government should show political will to take action. He said because the law does not prescribe those measures the companies resort to acts which would affect future generations. He called for a stop to the harassment and brutalization of those heralding the dangers that would arise from the depletion of forest, destruction of water bodies and the environment in general. 3 Oct. 09