The United States of America (USA) is expected to provide about one billion Ghana cedis financial assistance to help harness many economic opportunities in the country, Robert Porter Jackson, US Ambassador to Ghana, has disclosed.

He said the US is pleased with the impact of its interventions in the areas like energy, agriculture and industrialization and the allocated financial support will go a long way to boost those activities to create more employment opportunities for the Ghanaian populace.

Mr. Jackson announced this when he paid a courtesy call on the Paramount Chief of Sunyani, Nana Bosoma Asor Nkrawie II at his palace. The visit to the chief was part of his three-day maiden tour of the Brong Ahafo Region.

The tour was to among other things afford the Ambassador the opportunity to acquaint himself with some developments in that part of the country, including illegal mining, and human trafficking as well as inspect some American installations in the region such as Newmont Gold Ghana Limited.

The Paramount Chief alluded to the alarming unemployment situation in the country as a catalyst fuelling activities like illegal mining and logging, resulting in devastating environmental challenges. He appealed to the US government to step up its support to the government of Ghana, especially with job creation initiatives to help reduce the menace of illegal mining and logging, and irregular migration.

Earlier, Ambassador Jackson made a stop at the Brong Ahafo Regional Directorate of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). After an in-camera meeting, he told journalists that the fundamental issue underpinning illegal mining is economy challenges and it would be appropriate to find practical steps to streamline the illicit mining business into a regularised one so that people do not lose their source of livelihood.

For his part, Dr. Francis Nyabgenu, Brong Ahafo Regional Director of EPA said although illegal mining in the region has not reached dimensions experienced in other parts of the country like Western, Eastern and Ashanti regions , the Agency had not left anything to chance in fighting the menace.

He said: “Through the collaboration of the EPA, Water Resource Commission, Police, District Assemblies, Traditional Authorities and media, the region has been able to bring the situation in some areas under control.”

On the general environmental challenges facing the region, the Regional EPA Director mentioned land degradation, water pollution, deforestation, inadequate waste management, air pollution and risk from misuse of agro-chemicals among others. He attributed them to rapid population growth, poverty, urbanization, expanding economic activities and growth, greed and ignorance.