Akufo-Addo to lift ban on small-scale mining – Amewu

The government will soon lift the ban on small-scale mining, Lands and Natural Resources Minister John Peter Amewu has said.

"This government is saying that you must do the mining in a more sustainable manner.

"It is not going to be too long, His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, would be lifting the ban on mining.

“But before that is done, he expects certain things to be put in order, which is the road map leading to the lifting of the ban," Mr Amewu told the chiefs and people of Dunkwaw in the Central Region.

The Akufo-Addo government imposed the ban when it took office in 2017 as part of measures to combat illegal mining (galamsey). Several mining equipment have been seized as a result of the campaign. Some galamseyers including some Chinese, have also been arrested and either prosecuted or being prosecuted.

According to Mr Amewu, health issues resulting from small-scale are serious and must be tackled. "Applications of mercury is very dangerous to our own health. Toxic metals in our products; in our cocoa farms in areas that we undertake farming activities is becoming a problem to this country," he lamented.