Vice President Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang has praised the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah Kofi Buah, for what she described as effective leadership and improved management of Ghana’s lands and natural resources.

The Vice President made the remarks during a working visit to the Ministry, where she commended the Minister and his team for the progress made in the sector.

“Thank you so much for this good story; it can only get better,” she said, expressing confidence in the Ministry’s direction.

She reaffirmed the full backing of the Executive for initiatives being implemented by the Ministry, particularly efforts aimed at tackling illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey.

According to her, the government remains committed to encouraging and supporting the Minister to intensify the fight.

“Our job is to encourage you, to congratulate you for what you have done so far, and to encourage you to even do more,” she stated.

In his response, Mr. Buah clarified that the government is not opposed to mining but is instead focused on ensuring that mining activities are carried out sustainably and responsibly.

He stressed that the fight against illegal mining is crucial to protecting the environment and safeguarding livelihoods.

“We have to succeed in this fight to make sure that we can mine sustainably and responsibly,” the Minister said.

Mr. Buah identified the cooperative mining programme as a key intervention designed to improve regulation and reduce illegal mining activities.

He explained that the initiative seeks to organise miners into structured groups, provide training, and equip them with the necessary tools to operate within the law.

“We are saying, how do we organise people in groups, train them better, and give them all the tools they need to mine?” he noted.

Looking ahead, the Lands Minister disclosed that the year ahead would place strong emphasis on expanding cooperative mining initiatives, expressing optimism that the approach would significantly curb illegal mining.

“This year is going to be a year of constant action.

It will change the story of illegal mining completely,” he added.