No Hope For Small-Scale Miners

Its 20 days to Christmas and 26 days to the close of the year but government has still not announced its decision to rescind the ban placed on all artisanal small-scale mining operations throughout the country.

Government, through an Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining (IMCIM) had in August this year, promised to lift the indefinite moratorium; but no date has been communicated yet.

Though this promise looks like a mirage in the irritated eyes of small-scale miners, the government still insists it will come through with its pledge.

Taking his turn at the Meet the Press series held in Accra, yesterday, Minister for Lands and Mineral Resources, Mr. Kwaku Asomah-Cheremeh said, “indeed, small scale miners will enjoy Christmas.”

He added, “…that is the government’s commitment which was alluded to by Prof. Frimpong Boateng. We are not departing from that. Very soon the government will come out before the year ends and Christmas is always held in December and definitely you will enjoy Christmas.”

However, the minister was unable to state exactly when the ban will be lifted.

Small-scale miners in Ghana have time without number, expressed angry over government’s inability to lift the ban —referring to government’s actions as “dishonest”.

They had in November given government an ultimatum or face massive rebellion from their camp.

The small-scale miners had threatened to defy government’s directive while they searched for ways to salvage their livelihood. “We are not going to sit down and die,” they had said.

For those who failed to co-operate with the ban, 1,339 arrests were made with the help of Operation Vanguard (OV).

The OV also seized and immobilized 614 excavators, 1,557 water pumping machines, 84 vehicles and 84 motorbikes.

Other items seized are, 5,739 ‘Chang Fan’ dredging equipment, 112 arms and 2,359 ammo rounds.

More plans

Mr. Asomah Cheremeh said ahead of the rescission of the ban, his ministry has set out to begin a Multi-Sectoral Mining Integrated Project (MMIP).

According to him, the MMIP will help regulate and assist Artisanal and Small-scale Miners (ASMs) to improve efficiency of their operations.

“It will ensure the use of appropriate, safe and affordable technology in small-scale mining; develop alternative livelihood projects in mining communities and train miners on sustainable mining practices and extraction processes,” he said.

By: Grace Ablewor Sogbey/ [email protected]