Ban on small-scale mining to end in 3 months - Isaac Karikari

The ban placed on small-scale mining as a way of dealing with the illegal small-scale miners (galamseyers) will be lifted in three months’ time, Isaac Karikari, Project Coordinator of the Multi-Sectoral Mining Integrated Project (MMIP), has said.

The government through the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources placed a six-month ban on all small-scale mining activities in the country. The ban was extended after the period elapsed.

Sector minister John Peter Amewu, explained that: “There’s going to be an extension because we have not achieved what we are looking for but we’ll put in modalities and during the extension period, a lot will be done, we are talking about regularising the whole system.”

Speaking in an interview with Chief Jerry Forson, host of 'Ghana Yensom' on Accra100.5FM on Monday, 4 December, Mr Karikari said: “The government will start rolling out the Multi-Sectoral Mining Integrated Project for the miners to equip them with the right skills in doing responsible mining.”

The ban, he said, “will be lifted in three months' time. The level of damage done the water bodies is too high, and, so, we needed to extend the ban, the government had to spend millions of dollars to reverse the rivers to their normal state.”

“We understand the plight of the miners, we know they have to make ends meet but the government wants responsible mining, the government is not against mining, and, so, we want to properly regulate their activities.”