Small scale miners vow to help track down ‘bad nuts’ with govt support

The Ghana National Association of Small-Scale miners has vowed to tackle illegal mining, especially in Ghana’s rivers and forest reserves. 

The Communications Director of GNASSM, Razak Alhassan, speaking to TV3 on Wednesday, October 9, 2024, stressed that the association knows where illegal miners operate and is ready to collaborate with the government to stop them.

“We know where these illegal miners are, and we are going to fight them,” said Alhassan. He acknowledged the severity of illegal mining and urged stakeholders to be patient as they work together to find lasting solutions.

 “We keep asking the government to be patient, give us time, and we will figure out how to collaborate with the government and unions to find natural solutions,” he added.

The government has introduced new measures to tackle illegal mining, including stricter regulations, increased monitoring of water bodies and forest reserves, and harsher penalties for offenders. 

The Association of Small-Scale Miners is part of consultations aimed at developing a comprehensive approach to addressing illegal mining.

“Significant consultations are happening,” said Alhassan, noting the government’s agreement to work with the association to combat illegal activities.

Meanwhile, organised labour has called for a complete ban on all mining until the issue of illegal mining is resolved. However, Alhassan opposed this, saying, “Banning is not the solution. We need to create practical solutions rather than just banning.”

He clarified that many small-scale miners are operating legally and within Ghanaian law, while illegal miners are not. “There is no law that allows us to mine in our rivers,” he stressed.

Alhassan called on all stakeholders to focus on removing illegal miners from rivers. “Let’s get these people out of the rivers and let them recover naturally,” he urged.

He expressed confidence that the partnership with the government would help eliminate illegal miners, who he referred to as “the bad nuts.” 

Alhassan reaffirmed the association’s commitment to working with the government to ensure sustainable mining practices that safeguard Ghana’s environmental resources, particularly its vital water bodies and forest reserves.