Youth in galamsey targeted for alternative livelihood programme

About 400,000 Ghanaian youth engaged in illegal mining (galamsey) have been targeted for an alternative livelihood programme aimed at addressing the menace of galamsey in the country.

President John Dramani Mahama, who made this known during a courtesy call on the Okyenhene, Osagyefuo Amoatia Ofori Panin, in his palace at Kyebi in the Eastern Region yesterday said an initial number of 100,000 youth would be under the Youth Employment Agency.

Mr Mahama said the programme, which would see the youth acquiring employable skills, was one sure way of addressing the menace of galamsey.

He said the rate at which rivers and the vegetative cover were being destroyed by the activities of illegal miners called for decisive action to bring the situation under control.

Concerns

Reacting to concerns of the chiefs of Kyebi about a comment he made sometime ago that Kyebi was becoming the headquarters of galamsey in the country, the President said he did not