Government to lift ban on small scale mining - Deputy Information Minister

Government of Ghana will on Thursday 16th August 2018 announce a roadmap for the lifting of the ban on small-scale mining.

The small-scale mining roadmap will be outlined by the Chairman of the inter-ministerial committee on illegal mining and minister for Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, Prof. Frimpong Boateng.

The government placed an initial six-month ban on small-scale mining last year following the prevalence of illegal mining popularly known as “galamsey’’ in the country. However, the ban had faced some extensions in order for government to fully sanitise the mining sector.

The ban was to protect human health and the environment from anthropogenic emissions and releases of mercury and mercury compounds caused by illegal mining, permanently eradicate unauthorised methods of small-scale mining and to allow government to come out with measures that will address the illegal mining phenomenon.

In order to deal with the gory picture caused by this menace, government constituted an inter-ministerial committee on illegal mining in March 2017 headed by the Minister for Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, Prof. Frimpong Boateng to carry out activities that will bring sanity into the artisanal gold mining sector.

The committee after a year of comprehensive research, consultations, training and deliberations with key stakeholders have completed a conclusive roadmap approved by the cabinet to serve the purpose of regulating the activities of illegal mining of the country.

The roadmap will involve the reclaiming and re-afforestation of mined-out areas; the restoration of impacted water bodies; strict supervision of the processes of awarding mining licenses and associated permits; and continued formalization and regulation of the small-scale mining sector.

A deputy Minister of Information, Ama Dokuaa Asiamah Agyei in an interview, has admonished all small-scale miners and the various key stakeholders to adhere fully to the procedures, rules and regulations which will be outlined in the roadmap for the betterment of the country once the ban is lifted.