He said Regional Ministers and Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) who tolerated illegal small-scale mining operations within their jurisdictions would be held accountable for the resulting environmental degradation.

Mr Ayariga emphasised that local government officials, having been entrusted with positions of authority, had a responsibility to take decisive action to curb illegal mining in their respective areas.

He gave the warning at a national conference on illegal small-scale mining for MMDCEs in Kumasi, convened to deliberate on strategic interventions and strengthen local government efforts to combat the menace.

The Minister urged all MMDCEs to lead the fight against illegal mining, stressing that they had both the authority and responsibility to implement practical measures to prevent such activities within their jurisdictions.

“You all must be part of the solution by taking pragmatic steps to halt illegal mining operations,” he said.

He noted that combating illegal mining required collective responsibility, unwavering commitment and decisive action, particularly at the grassroots level where the activities were concentrated.

Mr Ayariga said he would not tolerate a situation where the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Mr Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, was solely blamed for the illegal mining crisis while other authorities with responsibilities in the fight failed to contribute meaningfully to addressing it.

He stressed that protecting the country's water bodies, forest reserves and farmlands from destruction must be a shared responsibility among all leaders entrusted with local governance.

He reiterated that Regional Ministers and MMDCEs who failed to take appropriate action against illegal miners operating within their jurisdictions would be held directly accountable for the resulting environmental damage.

Ogyeahoho Yaw Gyebi II, President of the National House of Chiefs, also appealed to stakeholders to safeguard the country's vegetation and ecosystems from the devastating effects of illegal mining.

He cautioned Ghanaians against allowing short-term economic interests to destroy the country's rich vegetation and natural resources.

He further urged security agencies to strengthen collaboration with traditional authorities to address local conflicts that continued to threaten peace and stability in mining communities.

According to him, such conflicts imposed avoidable financial burdens on the State and required a coordinated response from all relevant stakeholders.

The President of the National House of Chiefs identified the unregulated allocation of land for mining as one of the major drivers of illegal mining.

He stressed that whenever land was allocated for mining purposes, all statutory procedures and documentation must be duly completed to ensure that operations were conducted legally and responsibly.