STOP PLAYING POLITICAL FOOTBALL WITH ILLEGAL MINING

PRESS RELEASE:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

In recent times there have been rising calls by various groups and prominent personalities for government to place an outright ban on small-scale mining. This is in view of what is happening regarding pollution of water bodies and destruction of the environment by some unscrupulous persons involved in illegal small-scale mining across the country. While it is important to deal with the obvious activities of some miscreants, it is worthy of note that there is no law backing calls for a ban on legitimate Small-Scale mining in the country.

The groups and individuals making such calls must understand the following.

1. PNDC LAW 218,ON THE SECOND JUNE 1989 MADE SMALL SCALE MINING LEGAL IN GHANA
2. MINING AND MINERALS ACT, 2006,ACT 703 REPLACED 218
3. THERE ARE LEGALLY MANDATED INSTITUTIONS TO ENFORCE THE OPERATIONS OF THE SMALL SCALE MINING SUBSECTOTR.
With the above, we think the various laws backing the operations of small-scale mining must be enforced to the letter to serve as a deterrent to unscrupulous persons engaged in illegal small-scale mining.

Government agencies tasked with managing the space should work with legal small-scale miners to fish out the criminals in the space instead of calls for a total ban.

We shudder to ask, despite the activities of some fake men of God, has there been a call for a ban on the activities of churches?

Dealing with the activities of the illegal mining group requires a multi-sectoral approach and not a knew-jerk one.

It is sad we are playing political football with the menace. We must as a people call out politicians who want to ride on the back of galamsey to win the sympathy of Ghanaians for electoral purposes.

Politicians should allow duty bearers do their work by ensuring that those found breaching the laws on small-scale mining are arrested are prosecuted.

We must all get involved in this fight to protect our environment. As a legal miner, we will do everything to ensure the right things are done And so we call on my colleagues to join this war against illegal miners.

Signed

Philip Bawa
Concerned Small-Scale Miner.(0243310076)

Daniel Kwaku Mensah(Hon)
0248732072