Ghana Institution of Engineers to help in tackling illegal mining

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The Ghana Institution of Engineers (GhIE) has pledged to work closely with the government and relevant agencies to deal with the menace of illegal mining, popularly known as “galamsey”.

The institution said it supported the government’s moves to protect water bodies for both domestic and industrial use, as well as helping the country to achieve the targets in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

In a statement issued at the end of its annual general meeting in Sunyani, the institute appealed to the government to get the various regulatory bodies, security agencies and the district security apparatus in the affected areas to act decisively on galamsey activities.

President of the GhIE, Ing. Mrs Carlien Bou-Chedid, reading the statement, further called on all the stakeholders, public engineering organizations, the private sector, civil society and the citizens to play their expected roles in ensuring that the natural resources of the country were managed in a manner that would not impact negatively on future generations.

The week-long conference was on the theme: “Ghana’s Natural Resources and Sustainable Development – The Role of the Engineer”, bringing together 300 participants mainly from the GhIE who worked in government institutions and the metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies (MMDAs), the private sector, academia and development partners.

There was also representation from federations of African engineering organizations and sister engineering organizations in Nigeria, Sierra-Leone, Kenya and Zimbabwe.

There was also a call for the necessary steps to stop the illegal felling of trees and galamsey which were impacting negatively on the environment. It also emphasized the need for the government, industries and companies to be sensitized and encouraged to prepare corporate carbon footprint management programs in accordance with the National Climate Change Policy (NCCP).

It suggested to the government to adopt environmental and social safeguards, equity and social inclusiveness principles in water, sanitation and hygiene implementation to ensure sustainability.

There was also a suggestion of fines for drivers who exceeding axle loads for the huge economic burden on the transportation sector caused. On the provision of engineering solutions, the researchers were advised to consider not only the suitability of new materials, but also ensure safety and competitive cost.