The Minister for Local Government and Rural Development says it will take time before the fight against illegal mining is successful.
Hajia Alima Mahama said stopping the menace requires patience, adding that it will not happen in a day or a year.
According to her, even Germany took 30 years to totally clean its destroyed water bodies after World War II.
Speaking on the floor of Parliament, the Minister countered views by the Minority that the fight against galamsey hasn’t seen any progress.
READ ALSO: Ashanti Region: River poisoned by galamsey activities kills 25 pigs
“This will not happen in a day or in a year,” she said as quoted by Ghanareport.com, adding that “Germany took 30 years to clean their water bodies.”
In 2017, the Akufo-Addo government waged a war on illegal mining activities and placed a temporal ban on small-scale mining.
The Operation Vanguard taskforce was subsequently set up to guard the various illegal mining sites.
The Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation later set up a Galamstop taskforce to support the Operation Vanguard team in fighting illegal mining.
READ ALSO: Ghana’s President Akufo-Addo signs illegal mining law
However, recent reports indicate that illegal mining activities are still ongoing in some parts of the country.
The menace has led to the destruction of some water bodies, with the Ghana Water Company Limited raising red flags about the state of the Ankobrah River in the Western Region.
Other rives like the Pra, Densu and Offin have also been left polluted by illegal mining activities.
