The Ghana National Association of Small-Scale Miners (GNASSM) is fighting back against calls for a temporary ban on small-scale mining.
Various groups are urging the government to ban small-scale mining as measures are put in place to deal with illegal small-scale mining, popularly called galamsey.
The government has been under renewed pressure to deal with illegal small-scale mining as major rivers and water bodies have been polluted by the activities of galamseyers.
Hundreds of acres of farmlands have also been destroyed by these illegal miners, threatening Ghana’s food security.
But the Ghana National Association of Small-Scale Miners (GNASSM), whose members have been licensed by the Minerals Commission, believes a total ban on small-scale mining is not the way to go, but rather fishing out and dealing with those engaged in destroying the environment through illegal mining.
A ban on small scale miners shouldn’t be the solution for now. How do we stop illegal mining? In as much as we cannot say that all small-scale miners are doing the right thing, we should also look at the other side of the coin.
There is no license given to mine in river bodies and forest reserves. They don’t give us license as small-scale miners to mine in these areas so anybody mining there are either large scale miners or illegal miners.’’
He further questioned the outcome of the previous ban on small scale mining in 2017.
‘‘And let us all cast our mind back to 2017 when there was a total ban on small-scale mining activity. While we the legitimate miners were at home, people were still mining. These illegalities were going on. Where were those calling for the ban now?” He asked.
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