Ban On Small Scale Mining: Our families falling apart – Miners

The Concerned Small Scale Miners Association of Ghana has announced plans to stage a demonstration dubbed “Ku Me Preko” in Kumasi, on June 26, 2018 to protest against government’s refusal to lift the ban on Small Scale Mining, more than a year after its imposition.

The demonstration will witness hundreds of Small Scale Miners nationwide converge in the Ashanti regional capital.

President of the association, Richard Kojo Peprah made the announcement at a news conference in Akwatia in the Eastern region on Tuesday.

According to the Association, it cannot endure the brunt of the ban which has broken homes, affected health and afflicted poverty and debt on its members.

“We cannot endure any longer, idling away precious manpower while our equipment gather dust and rust. Our concessions are being taken over by reptiles and illegal miners. Our bank accounts hitting red, our members going impotent and bankrupt, our homes breaking, and we becoming objects of public ridicule.”

He added “We will not hesitate to speak the only language government understands and we forewarn that this time no amount of pressure, humiliation, intimidation can cow us from venting our frustrations on the street to make our case of our legal chosen business.”

Government, earlier last year imposed a six month ban on small-scale mining as part of efforts to end the scourge of illegal mining and its related activities.

The ban was necessitated by the persistent destruction of the environment, particularly water bodies and forest reserves but the ban has been extended severally.

Mr. Peprah said government’s fight against illegal mining which triggered the ban has proven to be a failure because it has failed to adopt the right strategies.

“…It will be not far fetch to suggest that government has run out of ideas dealing with the problems and that it has no justification to continue to keep legitimate license of Ghanaians confined to their homes. We Concerned Small Scale Miners Association wishes to draw government’s attention that the military intervention to fight illegal mining has proven to be ineffective ever since the menace became a national crises.”