Private legal practitioner and National Democratic Congress (NDC) lawmaker for Tamale Central Constituency , Hon. Innusah Fusieni has counseled the leadership of the Ghana National Association of Small Scale Miners to institute legal action against government following another three-month ban extension on their operations.
“I worked closely with small scale miners as a minister and they have competent lawyers to sue the government for extending the ban on their activities by another three months”, he revealed.
According to the former Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, it is mind boggling that for close to a year now, the government still has not lifted the ban on illegal mining activities despite the support it received from many Ghanaians.
“It is mind boggling that government has extended the ban by another three months”, Hon. Innusah Fusieni disclosed on Kumasi-based Abusua FM.
“Initially it was a laudable idea the Akufo-Addo government placed a ban on illegal mining operations considering how the environment and water bodies had been destroyed”,
“It was not what had been agreed on”, Hon. Innusah Fusieni added during a telephone interview with the host Kwame Adinkra.
Hon. Innusah Fusieni also diffused claims that Parliament of Ghana has not approved concession for small scale mining therefore it is illegal for people to engage in such business.
Meanwhile, the leadership of Ghana National Association of Small Scale Miners (GNASSM) has described the current government as a confused one taking into account the manner it is treating the association since its assumption of office.
Ashanti Regional chairman of the GNASSM, Mr. Frank Osei is wondering why the government keeps shifting the goal post on the definite date it would lift the ban on mining activities in the country as part of measures in weeding out the galamsey menace.