Small-scale miners give govt one-week ultimatum to lift ban on operations

Members of the National Association of Small-Scale Miners have given the government a one-week ultimatum to lift the ban on their operations.

A failure to lift the ban, they said, would compel them to embark on a nation-wide demonstration.

Their threat is, however, dependent on the outcome of a planned meeting between some key stakeholders and President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

According to them, anything short of allowing them to commence mining on their legally-acquired concessions would amount to an infringement on their rights.

An executive of the association, Mr Frank Osei, told the Daily Graphic after a press conference in Kumasi on February 21, 2018 that it would be unfair for the government to maintain the ban enforced more than a year ago despite demonstrating their commitment towards dealing with illegal miners.

He said small-scale miners could not be lumped together with illegal miners (galamseyers) who mined haphazardly, destroying many of the country’s water bodies. 

Taskforce 

The association said it had spent at least GH¢1.2 million towards the formation of a taskforce to help combat the illegal miners. 

Indeed, barely three days after the inauguration of the taskforce, the 50-man team of the Ashanti Regional chapter of the association arrested a number of  miscreants on River Subin between Mpatasie and Odaho in the Amansie West District.

The association said it had also spent money in helping to reclaim the land as their contribution towards government’s effort.

Financial obligations

Mr Osei said the government must show good faith and honour its part of the agreement by ‘reinstating’ them so they could meet their financial obligations.

“As we speak, most of us are being chased by our bankers, and our working equipment have been seized,” Mr Osei lamented.

He added: “I can say on authority that we are major contributors to employment in the country. By stifling our businesses, you are creating a threat to the growth of the economy.”

He said the association supported the move by the government to mine in an acceptable manner and was ready to comply.