Small Scale miners re-inaugurate taskforce despite govt disbandment

Ghana National Association of Small Scale miners(GNASSM) in the Eastern Region has re-inaugurated its taskforce to fish out members and other illegal miners breaching the mining regulations.

The re-inauguration comes few days after the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources directed for the disbandment of all taskforces purported to be clamping down on illegal mining.

But the Ghana National Association of Small Scale Miners says the taskforce has been in existence since 2017 however collapsed along the line owing to the ban imposed on small-scale mining by the President.

The association is of the view that the burning of excavators by the National Taskforce established by the Ministry of Lands and Natural resources is untenable and betrayal since it was not part of the recommendations made during the national dialogue.

Addressing the media at Akyem Nsutem in Fanteakwa South District of the Eastern Region, the Ghana National Association of Small Scale Miners called on government to come clear with operational guidelines for the military task force.

They also requested government to come out with Identification of licensed small-scale miners permitted to be on-site to guide the government taskforce and avoid unlawful destruction of their machinery.

GNASSM stated that they are ready to reclaim all abandoned pits and plant one million trees and protect water bodies.

The National Vice Chairman of GNASSM, Sampson Kofi Wiredu, said their Taskforce is ready to collaborate with the national Taskforce for a smooth Operation.

The Commander of the Taskforce, Don Chebe assured of working diligently to sanitize the mining sector in the region.

The PRO for GNASSM Leonard Mensah told GHone News small scale miners are not responsible for the pollution of water bodies therefore the burning of their Excavators on-site must stop.

The National Women’s Coordinator for Ghana National Association of Small Scale Miners, Victoria Adobea told GHone News, the recent indiscriminate burning of Excavators has created fear and panic of which many small-scale miners have evacuated from site affecting the local economy in various mining districts.