ILLEGAL mining, popularly known as 'Galamsey,' which has become a major source of livelihood for persons living around mining communities, continues to attract great attention despite its adverse effects.

Persons with unskilled labour from other community's across the length and breath of this country, travel to these mining communities to engage in the illegal mining, with the aim of making capital.

Nonetheless, there continues to be public outrage over the effect the activities of both the galamsey operators and the certified mining industry have on their host communities.

With the galamsey operators accused of using unorthodox methods to mine, which has serious implications on health and the environment, the mining companies are also to be blamed for the their method of blasting, which sometimes has an effect on the host communities.

Over the years, there have been several attempts and efforts by both the Metropolitan and Municipal District Assemblies (MMDCE'S) and the government to bring together galamsey operators, and assist them secure licenses to operate as licensed small scale mining entities, with the aim of having them conform to modern practices of mining.

But these attempts seem to have hit a snag, as talk-shops on the subject matter continue to bear no fruit.

The Ghana Chamber of Mines (GCM), which has been spearheading the talk-shop, has done little to help the galamsey operators secure licenses to operate legitimately, despite the calls on these illegal miners to merge into a group to facilitate their acquiring a license.

The Chamber of Mines though continues to agitate over the activities of the galamsey operators, on the grounds that their activities were having a negative toll on the mining industry.

In the Western Region for instance, which is the hub of the galamsey business, not a single small scale mining operator has been licensed to operate.

And that has opened the flood gates for the galamsey operators to besiege the concessions of legitimate mining companies to undertake their illegal mining activities.

The million cedi question, which has been left unanswered, is that if even the galamsey operators are eventually licensed, which concession are they going to operate in?

This question is pertinent on te grounds that most of the galamsey operators are operating in the concessions of certified mining companies.

In Tarkwa Damang for instance, about 2,000 galamsey operators have besieged the concession of Goldfields Ghana Limited.

The company has reported the conduct of the illegal miners to the both the Regional Security Council (REGSEC) and the District Security Council (DISEC) to help flush them out. But there seems to be no headway in that direction.

Bogoso, Tarkwa, Prestea, Wassa Akropong, Anlokrom, Damang and Akyimpim are all areas where galamsey operators have besieged the concessions of licensed mining companies.

In Wassa Akropong for instance, the illegal business is gradually taking over the main highway, and if care is not taken, the highway may cave in.

The unorthodox method used by the galamsey operators, has become risky to the extent that not a single day passes without the news of persons involved in the activity being buried alive.

For instance, just last month, two persons were buried alive, when a pit they were working in at Damang caved in.

What is believed to have given impetus to the galamsey business is the region, is the stake some chiefs have in the business. Some chiefs are believed to be in collaboration with the galamsey operators, and are sponsoring their activities.

The Western Regional Minister, Mr. Paul Evans Aidoo, is on record to have said that some chiefs in the region were in collaboration with illegal miners, who were encroaching on mining concessions, and causing environmental degradation.  Continued    Source: Alfred Adams & Zambaga Rufai Saminu - Ghanaian Chronicle