This morning, the Savannah Regional Coordinating Council under the able leadership of the Regional Minister, Hon. Saeed Muhazu Jibril held a press conference to outlined key issues currently affecting the region which needs urgent attention which include, illegal mining, commercial charcoal burning and logging.
Addressing the media, the regional minister registered his displeasure about these activities which are affecting the vegetation cover and depletion of the forest and soil in the Savannah Region and stressed on the need to completely ban these activities.
According to him, the regional coordinating council have come out modalities to curb these menace in the region. The Regional police commander DCOP Bediako in Savannah Region has been appointed to chair and stair the affairs of the taskforce which will soon be inaugurated to administer complete enforcement of the law.
At the press conference, the regional minister indicated that four weeks from now all activities of logging and commercial charcoal burning must be stopped and tasked the media to be on the watch out. He is asking people involved in these activities to stop and park out from the region.
Touching on illegal mining popularly known as galamsey, the regional minister, Hon. Saeed Muhazu Jibril told the media that, illegal mining is going to be regularised since only small scale minners who will be licensed will be allowed to mine in the mining communities. Royalties will be paid to help in the development of the Region. Mining pits will also be reclaimed afterwards since the taskforce which will be formed will be monitoring their activities closely to ensure proper reclamation of such areas. He made it clear that, with the current illegal mining activities in the region royalties are not paid by the illegal minners and there is the need to regularise such activities.
The Savannah Regional police commander, assured the media of his commitment as Head of the taskforce to ensure complete enforcement of the law to curb these menace in the region. According to him, he will coordinate the operations of the security services and the taskforce which is yet to be constituted to make sure the ban of illegal mining, commercial charcoal burning and logging of trees is enforced.
