Suspension of license issuance will be dire for small scale miners - NARSSMG

Members of the National Association of Responsible Small-Scale Miners Ghana (NARSSMG) have kicked against the suggestion that there should be a suspension on the issuance of licenses for all miners as one of the ways to fight illegal mining. According to NARSSMG, that will be a very wrong approach and can never curb the menace as proponents view it. They also revealed that the proposal to halt the issuance of licenses will keep legal small-scale miners out of business and that will, in turn, create extra unemployment menace. Their release follows several calls and suggestions by different groups over the menace of illegal mining where most of the advocators have been suggesting several views including halting license issuance. The calls for the fight against illegal mining activities have heightened in recent times following the continuous pollution of major water bodies and the environment. In a statement signed by Mr. Philip Bawa, Acting National President of NARSSMG and also supported by the V. President and the Acting Director of Communications, the group adds that in as much as the government cannot absolve itself entirely from the blame, small-scale miners cannot also be punished for the growing menace. "The negligence of chiefs in the mining communities which has led to the destruction of the environment should not also be used to punish innocent and licensed small-scale miners." The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II on Friday, October 14, 2022, during a meeting with chiefs at the Asanteman Traditional Council said, some chiefs were complicit in the destruction of the environment, due to illegal mining activities". The statement revealed. In addition, they said, since the fight against illegal mining should be a concerted effort as always reiterated by the government and its officials, they would like to also give the following suggestions aimed at addressing the menace; First, they suggest that there should be an immediate ban on the importation of the Six Inches Black hoses dredger which is used to connect the Chafang machines popularly called 'Totototo' and used to destroy our water bodies. Secondly, there should be effective inter-agency collaborative monitoring between the Offices of the District Minerals Commission, District Assemblies, Local community leaders, Security personnel at the District level, Representatives of the Miners Association of which the DCE or MCE will be the head of the monitoring team. They are of the firm belief that with the above measures put in place and effectively implemented, it will be very difficult for any illegal miner to escape unnoticed. In addition to these, they said, the issuance of mining licenses should be decentralized to help expedite the process of acquiring mining licenses. "The issue of bond payment in our view is not a good option since we believe it will put most of our members who are legal small-scale miners out of business. "The proposed assistance from the government to get financial institutions to support the activities of licensed small-scale miners is highly commendable. "The involvement of Chinese nationals in this sector is because the locals who continue to front for them have no capital to venture into full mining operations," they noted. They concluded by indicating that as they continue to draw the government's attention to do the right thing in addressing the menace, they equally impress on legal small-scale miners to be more responsible in their operations.

Members of the National Association of Responsible Small-Scale Miners Ghana (NARSSMG) have kicked against the suggestion that there should be a suspension on the issuance of licenses for all miners as one of the ways to fight illegal mining. According to NARSSMG, that will be a very wrong approach and can never curb the menace as proponents view it. They also revealed that the proposal to halt the issuance of licenses will keep legal small-scale miners out of business and that will, in turn, create extra unemployment menace. Their release follows several calls and suggestions by different groups over the menace of illegal mining where most of the advocators have been suggesting several views including halting license issuance. The calls for the fight against illegal mining activities have heightened in recent times following the continuous pollution of major water bodies and the environment. In a statement signed by Mr. Philip Bawa, Acting National President of NARSSMG and also supported by the V. President and the Acting Director of Communications, the group adds that in as much as the government cannot absolve itself entirely from the blame, small-scale miners cannot also be punished for the growing menace. "The negligence of chiefs in the mining communities which has led to the destruction of the environment should not also be used to punish innocent and licensed small-scale miners." The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II on Friday, October 14, 2022, during a meeting with chiefs at the Asanteman Traditional Council said, some chiefs were complicit in the destruction of the environment, due to illegal mining activities". The statement revealed. In addition, they said, since the fight against illegal mining should be a concerted effort as always reiterated by the government and its officials, they would like to also give the following suggestions aimed at addressing the menace; First, they suggest that there should be an immediate ban on the importation of the Six Inches Black hoses dredger which is used to connect the Chafang machines popularly called 'Totototo' and used to destroy our water bodies. Secondly, there should be effective inter-agency collaborative monitoring between the Offices of the District Minerals Commission, District Assemblies, Local community leaders, Security personnel at the District level, Representatives of the Miners Association of which the DCE or MCE will be the head of the monitoring team. They are of the firm belief that with the above measures put in place and effectively implemented, it will be very difficult for any illegal miner to escape unnoticed. In addition to these, they said, the issuance of mining licenses should be decentralized to help expedite the process of acquiring mining licenses. "The issue of bond payment in our view is not a good option since we believe it will put most of our members who are legal small-scale miners out of business. "The proposed assistance from the government to get financial institutions to support the activities of licensed small-scale miners is highly commendable. "The involvement of Chinese nationals in this sector is because the locals who continue to front for them have no capital to venture into full mining operations," they noted. They concluded by indicating that as they continue to draw the government's attention to do the right thing in addressing the menace, they equally impress on legal small-scale miners to be more responsible in their operations.