RSSM issue ultimatum, threatened massive campaign against illegal mining activities widely known as “galamsey

RSSM issue ultimatum, threatened massive campaign against illegal mining activities widely known as “galamsey”.

About 6000 members and national Executives of a group calling itselves Responsible Small-Scale Miners Association have warned illegal mining operators to refrain from destroying our water bodies,calls for a blanket ban on all forms of mining in Ghana, calling such proposals “irresponsible” and a misinterpretation of the nation’s mining laws.

This comes after the Akufo-Addo administration ordered the deployment of police and military forces to intensify the crackdown on illegal small-scale mining also known as ‘galamsey’. The move is in response to mounting calls from a section of Ghanaians particularly organized labour which is seeking a total ban on all forms of mining in the country.

Speaking on their behalf at a press conference held in Kumasi TUC on Sunday (15 September),the national President of the group,Alhaji Philip Adjamjobe Bawah criticized organized labour insisting that this proposal unfairly targets legitimate miners who operate within the bounds of the law.

According to him,“The said group are fully in support of the government’s initiative to evaluate the efforts to combat illegal mining…but it is misguided to include legally responsible mining in this freeze. What we are witnessing now is just blame-shifting by organized labour. This call for a blanket ban on responsible mining is ill-conceived and insensitive to the livelihoods of approximately 6 million people who depend on the small-scale mining industry”.

Adding his voice,the national vice President of Responsible small scale minners (RSSMA)who is also mining expert Hon Daniel Kwaku Mensah publicly known as DKM emphatically stated that, “The law does not grant anybody permission to mine within 100 meters of river bodies, let alone mining in the river bodies themselves. Those who are found to be mining in the river bodies should be dealt with according to the laws of the country. We call on the law enforcement most especially security agencies to live up to their expectations”, he stated.

He suggested that,the stakeholders should enact laws which will give security personnel powers to ban or burn all the illegal mining equipments(Chanfan) among other illegal interms should they see them in act.

The responsible miners have pledged to intensify their efforts against illegal mining activities, assuring Ghanaians that “from here we are going after them(illegal miners) vigorously and within 60 days, they should see improvements in the turbidity of the water”.

At least 850 people are facing the courts for their involvement in illegal mining, according to Ghana’s Attorney-General Godfred Yeboah Dame. The government late last week set up a five-member inter-ministerial committee to engage stakeholders as part of efforts to end illegal mining across the country.

The committee is chaired by National Security Minister Albert Kan Dapaah. Other members are Minister for Lands and Natural Resource, Samuel Abu Jinapor, Minister for Defence, Dominic Nitiwul, Employment and Labour Minister Ignatius Baffour Awuah and Minister for Information Fatimatu Abubakar.

Source:www.dailywatchgh.com