We’ll resist harassment and intimidation from ‘galamsey’ soldiers - miners

The Ghana National Association of Small Scale Miners (GNASSM) has promised to fully cooperate with the security taskforce deployed to various mining sites across the country in the second phase of efforts to clump down on illegal mining activities.

Secretary of the Small Scale Miners Association, Micheal Kwadwo Peprah who lauded the decision by government to deploy the troops however stated that they will resist acts of intimidation and harassment from the combined team of armed police and military personne currently on groundl.

He however stated that the deployment of the taskforce will not stop them from carrying out their legitimate activities as they have the requisite documents from various regulators in the country to mine at their concessions.

It would be recalled that a combined team of armed police and military personnel was on Monday deployed to various mining sites in the country to further intensify the fight against illegal mining activities.

Government last week hinted it will deploy a four hundred Military and Police joint team as first batch of the Anti-Galamsey Taskforce to enforce the ban on illegal mining.

It followed threats by members of the Ghana National Association of Small Scale Miners (GNASSM) to return to mining sites and faced off with members of the security agencies indicating that they have the requisite documents to extract the precious minerals.