Illegal mining poses security threat

The show of impunity by illegal miners must be a wake-up call to our government and the security agencies that if we do not act quickly to disarm these deviants, their actions will compromise the country’s security.

Across the length and breadth of mining communities in the country are large groups of able-bodied young men who understand the language of lawlessness and  flout regulations with impunity in their search for livelihoods.

To deal with these challenges, the mining companies have tried to introduce alternative livelihood programmes in the mining communities to help move the illegal miners from the concessions.

This alternative livelihood policy by the mining companies may be said to be self-serving but it has the potential to benefit the larger society.

We also know that life in most of the mining communities is nothing to write home about, as the concessions have deprived the youth of their heritage. In the light of this development, the youth of these communities have decided to appropriate what legitimately belongs to them. Indeed, there is not a single mining community in the country where the youth have not encroached on the concessions of the mining companies to eke out a living.

It is common to hear the mining companies say that they have been spending on programmes to raise the standard of living of the people, in addition to the payment of dividend to the state and royalties to stools and district assemblies.

The question that comes up when the effects of galamsey operations are discussed is: What are the alternative livelihoods that are available to the people if they abandon illegal mining?

We think it is not enough to pontificate about the harm being caused to the environment by illegal miners. It is also important to talk about employment opportunities available to the people.

The Daily Graphic believes that the decision by the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources to block 77 small-scale mining sites that are used for galamsey operations in the country is a step in the right direction.

We are told that the blocking of the mining sites, which cover 4,653 square kilometres of land, forms part of the ministry’s initiative to curb the the high rate of destruction of the country’s natural resources.

Although the move is commendable, the exercise will not achieve the desired results if the people in these areas do have alternative livelihoods. The people in those areas must earn a living through legal means, but if the opportunities for personal development are not provided, the devil will surely find jobs for idle hands.

The Daily Graphic calls on the government and the mining companies to put in place alternative livelihood programmes that will compel the youth to abandon illegal mining for productive activities in agriculture and other fields of endeavour.