Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia Monday opened the Regional Consultative Dialogue on Small Scale Mining and Deforestation in Tamale with a call on participants to be candid in their deliberations to build consensus in tackling the menace. Dr Bawumia said: “Issues relating to the exploitation of our natural resources must be insulated from partisan politics.” “Therefore, the deliberations at this regional consultative dialogue must be candid so that we are able to build a broad-based national consensus to stem the menace of illegal mining and deforestation.” The dialogue was organised by the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources which saw representatives of research and academia, non-governmental and community-based organisations, religious bodies, traditional authorities, and development partners among others attending.