The Deputy Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, George Mireku Duker, has expressed disappointment in Ghanaians who are calling on him and the sector Minister Samuel Abu Jinapor to go after illegal miners.
Speaking in an interview with Metrotvonline com, the Deputy Minister observed that the perception and misconception about the role of policy makers, appears frustrating following calls being made for the sector minister and his deputy to go after the illegal miners.
He explained that those criticizing them and making the wild demands, certainly do not understand and appreciate the role of ministries, departments and agencies
He said “As Ghanaians, we need to change the narrative. Sometimes you get out there, and they say, Mireku Duker, Abu Jinapor go and arrest the illegal miners.
“But, the reality on the ground is, if you secure a driver’s license from DVLA, and you see a driver driving recklessly on the road, do you ask the Chief Executive Officer of DVLA to go and arrest the driver or you go and ask the police, yes, the DVLA has the mandate per the dictates of the law to give the license but in terms of illegalities on the road, it is not the responsibility of the Chief Executive Officer of DVLA to make those arrests and you are referencing same to Lands and Natural Resources Ministry that because we supervise mining, we have to make those arrests, no, our mandate is to formulate policies, give guidance, direct and ensure that the security agencies, the apparatus, the security architecture would be responsible for illegalities in the country and that is what we know and that is what the law says.
“If you go to South Africa, you have dedicated security agency that tackles illegal mining. If you go to Australia same, so that they wouldn’t be having opportunity of blaming the Minister responsible for mining.
“Minister responsible for mining is not a security expert. Mireku Duker doesn’t even know how to hold a gun, how do you expect me to make arrest and it is the reason we are supporting financially the operation halt 2 to making those arrests, it is their mandate, they have to make the arrest,” he emphasized
By: Zambaga Rufai Saminu | Metrotvonline.com | Ghana
