Calls for Abu Jinapor to resign over galamsey are unnecessary – Mireku Duker | General News

Deputy Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, George Mireku Duker, has rejected calls for the resignation of Samuel Abu Jinapor, Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, and his two deputies over the pollution and poor state of rivers caused by galamsey activities.

According to the deputy minister, the calls for resignation are unnecessary.

He explained that the fight against galamsey requires a collective decision-making effort from every Ghanaian.

“If we do not take a collective decision and continue to demand the resignation of Abu Jinapor and others, which is totally unnecessary, the problem will continue. The people of the towns around the Offin and Pra rivers are all involved in galamsey, including the chiefs,” he said.

Mireku Duker also stated that some chiefs and residents of the mining areas were involved in the matter and shared responsibility.

He disclosed that some traditional leaders in the galamsey-affected areas are supporting these activities by charging boat fees to the miners and granting them permission for their illegal operations, only to later turn around and blame the government.

“Chiefs should stop charging boat fees. I have been told that key community leaders charge miners boat fees for using the boats on the river in their galamsey activities and then blame the government.

“If they decide to say 'no, no more mining in the riverbeds', even if former President Mahama comes and tells them to do it and later releases them on bail, they still won't do it,” he said.

However, he said that the fight against galamsey could only be successful if Ghanaians united to oppose the activities of illegal gold miners and actively protect the rivers.

“If they realise the importance of our rivers, they will not do it and that is the solution. The solution is very simple. Nobody can conjure a golden chair from the sky to solve this issue. It is up to us as Ghanaians to realise the importance of our rivers and to protect these rivers. This is very important and real for us and we must do this. It pains me that we as a country are playing with our future by politicising the issue and this is totally unnecessary…” he stressed.

With these comments, Mireku Duker responded to the demands of minority MPs on the Committee on Construction and Housing, who called for the immediate dismissal of Land Minister Samuel Jinapor and his deputies.

They accused them of neglecting their duty to protect Ghana's waters and rivers from the destructive effects of illegal mining, commonly referred to as “galamsey”.