Small Scale Miners welcome gov’t decision to lift ‘galamsey’ ban

The Ashanti Regional Association of the Small Scale Miners has expressed its excitement over government’s decision to lift the ban on ‘galamsey’.

The government imposed an initial six-month ban on small-scale mining activities in 2017 and the ban has since then been in force as a result of several extensions to enable the government to sanitize the sector.

But the extended ban has incurred the wrath of small-scale miners who have in the last few months been agitating against the long imposition saying that the action has caused untold hardships on them and their families.

President Nana Addo speaking at a sensitization workshop for traditional and religious leaders and stakeholders on the elimination of illegal mining in Ghana in Accra on June 18, 2018 hinted of government’s plans to announce a comprehensive roadmap to lift the ban on small-scale mining to deal permanently with ‘galamsey,’ which poses a threat to the nation.

Speaking to Abusua News in an interview, the Director of Research and Planning of the association Mr. Mike Gizo described government decision as a good move urging government to speed up to lift the ban on small scale mining in the country.

According to Mike Gizo, measures that have been put in place by government after the ban on galamsey will help bring sanity into mining.

“It was welcome news to us when we heard that President Nana Addo himself assuring us that the ban on galamsey will be lifted. That was the exact word we have been waiting for. Though it was good news and we are happy to hear that from government but we want government to tell us the specific date, time that the ban will be lifted. Always what we hear is government will lift the ban on galamsey but we don’t know the exact date,” he said.

Mike Gizo admitted that 600 small scale miners have so far been trained after the ban on ‘galamsey’ by government.

He therefore assured that small scale miners association will ensure that lands, water bodies and environment are preserved when government lifts the ban on ‘galamsey’.

 

 

 

By: Ghana/Ultimatefmonline.com/106.9FM

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