The former President of the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI), Dr Tony Oteng-Gyasi, has called on the government to take the needed steps to bring the activities of illegal miners, popularly known as galamsey operators in the country, within the laws of the land.
He said instead of criminalising the activities of the illegal miners, it was important for the country to use international best practices and improved technology to regulate its operations in order to ensure enormous economic benefits from the sector.
Speaking at a forum in Accra, Dr Oteng-Gyasi said the total production from the small-scale mining sector was actually bigger than any single mining company in this country.
He opined that it had become necessary to license the illegal miners and allocate some concessions to them so that their activities could be regulated and monitored for the benefit of the country.
“It was beneficial for small-scale mining firms to legalise and regularise their activities and comply with laid-down regulations, as well as adhere to strict compliance in their operations,” he said.
GMWU’s concerns
However, the Ghana Mine Workers Union (GMWU) of the Trades Union Congress (TUC) for its part, bemoaned the activities of illegal small-scale miners which are posing a threat to the security of its members.
According to the union, if steps were not taken to stop the activities of these illegal miners, it would withdraw its services to the industry.
The General Secretary of the GMWU, Mr Prince William Ankrah, said “considering the dangers posed by this menace and the threat to the safety and security of our members, we, as a union, may be compelled at any stage to withdraw labour services to the industry if this situation persists.”
It would be recalled that many Chinese found engaging in illegal mining were arrested by the police in the second quarter of last year.
Both the Chinese and Ghanaian illegal miners have succeeded in visiting considerable destruction on the environment, destroyed water bodies, caused irreparable damage to acres of productive land, destroyed vegetation and individual farms and put the lives of community members at risk.
Last year, the Chairman of the National Security Committee on Lands and Natural Resources, Colonel Robert Nyankah, stated that the gains that had been made by the inter-ministerial task force against illegal mining seemed to be eroding, as many of those who had been arrested and deported in connection with illegal mining, including the Chinese, were back in the country.
Many of the country’s water bodies have totally been polluted with chemicals such as mercury as a result of unregulated illegal mining and the cost of treatment of most of the country’s water sources for consumption by the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) has escalated because more chemicals are now needed to make the water potable.
The alleged involvement of some traditional authorities and politicians in the operations of illegal miners also gives much cause for concern, since they are the ones who have given the illegal miners the stance that they have adopted.
It is crucial for the government to revive alternative livelihood activities in those communities where galamsey holds sway in order to keep the people away from illegal mining.
Chamber’s concerns
The Ghana Chamber of Mines, on the other hand, underscores the need for the country to legalise and regularise the activities of small-scale mining firms.
The Chief Executive Officer of the chamber, Mr Suleiman Mustapha, cited a study conducted some years ago which revealed that the total production from the small-scale mining sector was actually bigger than any single mining company in the country.
The study also indicated that most people found in mining pits and exposed to the dangers of illegal mining were just pawns and the barons, so to speak, lived in the regional capitals of the country.