The Upper East Regional Security Council led by the Regional Minister, Dr Hafiz Bin Salih, engaged some illegal miners at their mining sites in Sapeliga.
The visit was to inspect Ghana’s territorial boundaries at the Ghana-Burkina Faso border at Sapeliga in the Bawku West District where illegal mining activities is ongoing.
The minister met with the illegal miners and assured them that their presence in the area wasn’t to harass them but to discuss the way forward of their activities.
The minister, however, admonished the miners to stop the illegal activities or face the law. He advised that the sites would be made available for registered mining companies to come in and employ some of them to work
One of the illegal miners, Abilla Akuka, who spoke on behalf of them, indicated that the Sapeliga area does not have dams for dry season farming and the only source of livelihood is the illegal mining activities. He appealed that, authorities should consider their source of livelihood before evicting them.
Major General Emmanuel Kotia, PHD, who spoke on behalf of the Ghana Boundary Commission stated that Ghanaian border to Burkina Faso has been safe in terms of security.
The chief of Sapeliga, Naba Abodbuudi Mbangiba Ayagiba lll stated that the people of the area have been living in fear due the attacks of some neighboring Burkinabe communities sometime back by the insurgents. He thanked the government for the construction of roads in the area.
By: Ibrahim Abode | Metrotvonline.com | Ghana
