Small-scale miners appeal for reduction in fees

The Ghana National Association of Small-Scale Miners (GNASSM) has appealed to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to reconsider its decision to increase the permit fees of small-scale miners (SSM) from GH¢250 to $ 2,400.

It said if the decision was not rescinded, it could be a disincentive for people to acquire the necessary permits and encourage them to engage in illegal mining, popularly referred to as “galamsey”.

Speaking at a news conference in Accra yesterday, the General Secretary of GNASSM, Mr Godwin Amarh, said although the association was not against the upward review of the fees, the amount being charged was exorbitant and unrealistic.

“The Minerals Commission, which is the main agency for issuing mining leases and digging permits, has kept its processing and consideration fees at GH¢250 and GH¢550 respectively, because of its strategy to attract small-scale miners into the mainstream, EPA interestingly, is charging as high as $2,400,” he said.

Small-scale mining industry

Small-scale mining is essentially an artisanal or small-scale industrial form of raw material extraction.

In Ghana, there are about 300 registered small-scale mining groups and they constitute a major source of employment, especially for small-scale gold and diamond miners.

Dollarisation

Mr Amarh also raised issues with the increasing “dollarisation” of fees and charges contrary to the laws and directives by the Bank of Ghana.

“We believe BoG has not changed its directives on pricing local services in foreign currency. More so, as small-scale mining is reserved for Ghanaians,” he said.

Officials quiet

Mr Amarh said since the increment was announced, the association had petitioned stakeholders, including the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources and Ministry of Finance but nothing had been done yet.

“In fact, we have been disappointed to note that despite formal petitions to the appropriate quarters and calls by civil society groups and other institutions for a consultative dialogue with the operators on the subject-matter, details have emerged that the regulatory agencies had failed to respond to the plight of the marginalised miners,” he said.