George Opare Addo calls for mindset shift, alternative livelihoods to tackle illegal mining

George Opare Addo, the Ministerial nominee for Youth Development and Empowerment, has stressed the importance of offering alternative livelihoods to communities in mining areas as a long-term solution to illegal mining.

Speaking before the Parliamentary Appointments Committee on Wednesday, January 22, Opare Addo underscored the need for a change in mindset and the adoption of sustainable mining practices to safeguard the environment. 

He emphasized that addressing the root causes of illegal mining through viable alternatives is crucial for ensuring lasting environmental protection.

“For young people who want to go into mining, we have to reset their minds. There is an old way that they have done things and they must re-engage them to change them from the old way they have done things.

He pointed out that poverty in mining communities often compels residents to resort to illegal mining, highlighting that addressing this issue is key to solving the illegal mining problem.

“We will collaborate with the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources to explore sustainable mining methods. I have always said that where there is gold and poverty, people will inevitably seek ways to dig for it,” he remarked.

To address the underlying causes of illegal mining, Opare Addo proposed the introduction of alternative livelihood programmes designed to alleviate poverty and offer sustainable employment opportunities.

“We must eradicate poverty from the areas we find ourselves and if we have been able to do that effectively, by giving them alternative livelihood we may bring an end to illegal mining,” he said.