Small scale miners give government ultimatum to lift ban on mining operations

The Small Scale Miners Association of Ghana has given the government up to the first week of next month September 2017, to lift the six-month moratorium placed on all categories of small scale mining operations in the country.

The Association says if government fails to end the injunction, they would decide the next line of action.

Speaking to Radio Ghana in Kumasi, the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the Association, Frank Osei, said members of the Association who are legitimate small scale miners have shown enough commitment and support for government's crusade against illegal gold mining and have also provided its cooperation towards the attainment of the set out goals for the fight.

It is left for government to reciprocate the goodwill by demonstrating good faith with legitimate small scale gold miners that the moratorium is meant to achieve a worthwhile objective but not to deprive the miners of their lawful business and source of income.

Mr. Osei disclosed that apart from the untold hardship inflicted on the licensed mining operators and their families within the period of the ban, the national economy is also seriously suffering.

He said in 2015 alone, small scale mining contributed about 34 per cent to the total gold production in the country, thereby shoring up the revenue generation of the country.

Mr. Osei attributed the recent fall of the Ghana Cedi to the Euro, partly to the ban on small scale mining.

He added that banks are unable to recoup the loans advanced to small scale miners.