Outlaw the importation of ‘chang-fa’ machines

The Ghana National Association of Small Scale Miners has called for the government to ban the importation of “chang-fa” dredging machine, popular with people engaged in illegal mining activities.

Mr. Godwin Amarh, the General Secretary, said it was with this equipment, that the illegal miners were causing unimaginable destruction to water bodies, across the nation.

Its ban, he indicated, would go a long way to protect the rivers and streams.

He was speaking to journalists after a meeting held between the Eastern Regional Security Council (REGSEC) and mining companies in Koforidua.

Mr. Amarh underlined the need to properly streamline and regulate mining to ensure sustainability.

He said although “Operation Vanguard” was likely to achieve quick results, it was not clear, how this success was going to be sustained.

Mr. Eric Kwakye Darfour, the Regional Minister, repeated that the government was not against mining and that it only wanted to make sure that things were done properly.

It was eager to bring some level of sanity to stop the massive degradation of the environment.

He advised young people who wanted to go into mining to go through the right processes to acquire necessary permit.