Galamsey fight: Govt being selective - Miner

A member of the Small-Scale Mining Association of Ghana, Ben Annan, says government is using ‘selective justice’ in dealing with the illegal mining menace.

He complained of how excavators belonging to some licensed Small-Scale Miners were being burnt while others belonging to galamseyers have been spared.

“We do not have any problem that excavators of some people who are mining and destroying water bodies are being burnt. Our problem is the selective justice which is being used in the process,” he said.

Government deployed 200 military men to guard water bodies across the country which were being polluted through illegal mining (galamsey).

Through the operation, some 28 excavators belonging to both small scale miners and galamseyers were burnt.

Speaking on Atinka TV’s morning show, hosted by Ekourba Gyasi Simpremu, Mr Ben Annan who expressed sadness over the burning of excavators opined that the excavators could have been used to dredge choked gutters instead of being burnt.

“We are not done with the consultations and you deploy soldiers to burn the excavators of those who have license,” he said.

He also said the Association does not agree with government and those who are saying the excavators must be burnt.

He explained that the Small-Scale Miners thought those who were allegedly damaging the water bodies had licenses and that is why they did not confront them, adding that because illegal mining activities have affected them, the Small Scale Miners should be allowed to help in bringing out the culprits.

Ben Annan said although the Association proposed to help to bring perpetrators to book and help bring back the quality of the water bodies and also stop illegal mining, government did not consider their proposal and rather deployed the soldiers to fight illegal mining.

“In every district, there is an assembly and the excavators should be given to the Assembly. If they rent it out, they can make money and use it for development,” he said.

He alleged that the same people who were tasked to fight galamsey are the ones who are now doing the illegal mining, pointing fingers at some NPP members.