Arrest and deport ‘greedy’ foreigners in small scale mining – Small Scale Miners demand

The Ghana National Association of Small Scale Miners (GNASSM) is demanding from the Ghana Government to immediately deport any foreigner caught in illegal mining it promised.

“We will plead with our Government to immediately deport any foreigner caught in illegal mining in accordance with our laws”, the association said in a statement copied to MyNewsGh.com Tuesday.

According to the GNASSM, their call on government is to protect the Minerals Act which is clearly stated in the supreme Constitution of the land.

“ASM is the preserve of Ghanaians; we encourage all ASM operators to abide by this regulation in our Minerals and Mining Act. Chinese and other Nationals are not to engage in any ASM operations”, the statement further explained.

The Association expressed gratitude to President Nana AddoDankwa Akufo Addo and Prof. Kwabena Frimpong Boateng for honouring their promise by lifting the ban on their activities at the long run.

“The association is grateful to the President and the Chairman of The Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining (IMCIM) Prof. Frimpong Boateng for honouring their promise of lifting the ban on small scale mining before the end of December 2018”, the association noted.

Background of small scale mining in Ghana

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Early in the year2017, the president, revoked licenses of all small-scale miners and further placed a ban on them, stating that their activities were destroying water bodies and other resources.

The step according tothe government was a way to reclaim all damaged water bodies and forest around the mining areas.

The government has said it will need millions of Ghana cedis to dredge water bodies and reclaim forest reserves and lands.

In order for the government to enforce the ban, OperationVanguard (OV) a taskforce which consisted of officers of Ghana Police Service and the military, was formed to fight illegal miners to bring sanity in the mining sector.

Ghana National Association of Small Scale Miners also instituted a taskforce to help the fight against illegal miners.

The association earlier said it has achieved tremendously in its fight against the recalcitrant illegal miners.