Strict enforcement of mining regulations will address illegal mining – GCM

The Ghana Chamber of Mines (GCM) has advocated the rigorous enforcement of mining regulations to specifically address individuals who violate Ghana’s mineral laws, rather than employing broad, and gener­alised approaches.

The Chamber emphasised that campaigns and media nar­ratives that conflate all mining activities in Ghana were not con­ducive for the government and stakeholders in their strategic planning.

In an interview with jour­nalists following a mining tour organised by the Chamber for the Journalists for Business Ad­vocacy (JBA) at selected mining sites in the Tarkwa area of the Western Region, the Direc­tor of External Relations and Communications, Ahmed Nangtomah, said, “There is a distinction between responsible mining and illegal mining. It is counterproductive to impose a ban on activities that are already illegal. What is required is effec­tive enforcement to prevent these illegal actions.”

Nangtomah proposed that the focus should be on identify­ing and penalising those engaged in illegal mining, particularly those operating in water bodies, thereby causing pollution and en­vironmental degradation without any mitigation efforts.

He asserted that only by con­centrating on the “bad actors” would the industry recognise that the government and regula­tory bodies were fulfilling their responsibilities effectively.

The GCM External Relations Director noted that the Chamber, as an advocacy organisation, it aimed to provide leadership and collaborate with the media to improve the dissemination of information.

“We are convinced that engaging with the media and sharing our perspective will aid in promoting awareness about the role of mining as a driver of de­velopment. The visits to various sites have made the differences evident,” he mentioned.

He added that GCM mem­bers, which consist of large-scale operations, adhere to regulations, comply with legal frameworks, and prioritise environmental, social, and governance consid­erations, which are vital for the nation.

He further mentioned that mining companies actively prevent pollution by treating wastewater.