Burnt excavators: Abu Jinapor 'swerves' aggrieved small-scale miners

The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Mr. Samuel Abu Jinapor on Tuesday May 18, 2021, swerved members of the Small-Scale Miners Association at Twifo Praso in the Central Region despite earlier calls from the Ministry and District Assembly to a scheduled meeting.

The aggrieved Miners who came from various mining communities in the Central Region to Twifo Praso, were patiently waiting for the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources to question him about their burnt properties including excavators by Military personnel.

They expressed concern that the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources met them earlier to discuss the way forward in the mining industry and the need to expand the mining business in the country but later sent the Military to burn their excavators and other machines.

Speaking to the media, the Public Relations Officer for Assin Fosu Small-Scale Mining Association branch, Mr. Luxmen Olando Quaye said they are disappointed at the Minister’s inability to meet them without any tangible reason.

He said the Minister has no respect for the Small-Scale Miners Association after cancelling a scheduled meeting with the Association.

“We had sharpened our mouths to educate the Minister on legal and illegal mining and how to operate the mining business without polluting the water bodies” he disclosed.

Mr. Olando Quaye said the country will soon see an increase in the Sakawa business due to the collapse of Mining which will result in high unemployment rate in the country.

He said the burning of their excavators and other properties at the mining site by Military personnel came as a shock.