We Beg To Differ The Call To Ban Small-Scale Mining-GNASSM

The Ghana National Association of Small-Scale Miners (GNASSM) has expressed disagreement concerning the call of the Government to ban small-scale mining activities in the country as part of measures to fight illegal mining activities.

The group secretary, Mr Golden Amah said, recently some groups like the Christian Council, Occupy Ghana, Media Coalition, and other sections of Ghanaians are calling for a total ban on all forms of small-scale mining which they beg to differ.

According to the Ghana National Association of Small-Scale Miners, they are highly prepared to collaborate with the aforementioned groups to minimize illegal mining activities in the country.

“Licences and permits are not issued to small scale miners in forest reserves but rather to large scale companies because the regulators assume that Small Scale miners don’t have the capacity to mine sustainably in these reserves” he indicated.

In addition, Mr Amah on behalf of the GNASSM proposed some measures to the government and relevant stakeholders to deal with the illegal mining menace, which includes; a community enforcement approach, resourcing MMDCEs, community engagement and sensitization, the use of technology, restricting the use and importation of chanfan engines, bipartisanship in the fight of illegal mining, effective monitoring and supervision by regulators, community mining scheme, and self-regulation.

Mr Amah indicated that GNASSM shares the plight of Ghanaians as the Association is also strongly opposed to all forms of illegal mining activities that lead to the pollution of water bodies and the destruction of the environment.

“Government in 2021 collaborated with GNASSM to have a maiden edition of the Ghana Small Scale Miners Award 2021, and the main objective is to reward small-scale miners who have distinguished themselves in the subsector and are mining sustainably and supporting communities in forms of corporate social responsibility” he stressed.

Mr Amah stated, the group wish to emphasize that they are a responsible association whose objective is to rid the small-scale mining sector of all forms of illegal mining activities in the country on so many fronts.

He said the ban on small-scale mining will not be the solution to the illegal mining issues in Ghana.

In conclusion, Mr Golden Amah stressed that GNASSM is ever ready to collaborate with Government to implement policies and programs of activities to rid the small-scale mining industry of illegal activities and to enhance sustainable small-scale mining to safeguard the country’s environment.

Source: Opemsuo.com/Kwame Adu Gyamfi Kumanin.