Investigate The Inter-Ministerial Task Force On Small Scale Mining—ASM AFRICA-NETWORK

Following Government efforts at sanitizing and promoting the Small Scale Mining Sector in Ghana, several attempts have been made and continue to be made towards the attainment of this objective.

Government is also making a conscious effort to create job opportunities and livelihoods through the development of legitimate small scale mining.

Some of these initiatives have however generated some concerns which are the focus of The Artisanal & Small Scale Mining Africa-Network (ASMAN) in this Petition.

THE INTER-MINISTERIAL TASK FORCE ON SMALL SCALE MINING:

Among the initiatives at ensuring sanity in the industry was the establishment of the Inter-Ministerial Task Force by His Excellency President John Dramani Mahama in May 2013. This move by the President was lauded by all, especially Ghanaian small scale miners operating legitimately, as well as Civil Society Groups in the Sector, since it was aimed at culling illegal mining operations in the country. As regards the terms of reference, the Task Force was charged to:

• Seize all equipment used by those who fail to comply with the new directives of obtaining licenses or renewing their licenses.

• Arrest and prosecute anybody, both Ghanaians and non-Ghanaians, involved in illegal small-scale mining.

• Deport all non-Ghanaians involved in small-scale mining.

• Revoke the licenses of Ghanaians who have sub-leased their concessions to non-Ghanaians against the rules.

• Revoke the licenses of Ghanaians who have engaged the services of non-Ghanaian miners in the small-scale mining sector; which is reserved for Ghanaians only and

• Hold MMDCEs and their respective DISECs accountable for any illegal mining operation in their areas of jurisdiction.

Unfortunately however, soon after the Task Force began work, there were wild allegations of human rights abuse, looting, burning and destruction of equipment etc. made against the Task Force in the various Mining Areas especially by some legalized operators who claim also to be mistakenly affected.

Some scenes of these allegations were even shown on national television during which state security personnel were seen setting structures ablaze and harassing people, both Ghanaians and foreigners alike. It is also on record that a similar act of violence and cruelty had been meted out to a Small Scale Diamond Miner in the Eastern Region, during which two (2) excavators were allegedly set ablaze by the joint special security team which visited the mining site.

This development, we at the Artisanal & Small Scale Mining Africa-Network (ASMAN) saw as not only unfortunate but very much outside the remit of the Task Force as was clearly stated by the President.

Since then, the expectations of Civil Society was that Government through the sector Minister would have initiated some open and transparent investigations into the matter and offered the victims an opportunity to prove their cases, but nothing of the sort ever happened almost one year down the line.

Clearly these acts of vandalism and violence do not conform to our tenets as a law abiding and democratic State that is committed to dispensing Justice and Accountability.

Subsequently, there have been reports of public officials using some of the seized equipment by the Inter-Ministerial Task Force, especially excavators, in various unauthorized activities including 'galamsey', which is the very purpose for which this equipment were allegedly seized. It has also been alleged that some state security officers of the Task Force in Kumasi have even publicly been accused of rebranding some of the seized vehicles and using them for unauthorized operations.

In all these however, the Government is seen to be silence on these unacceptable acts without thoroughly investigating the matter.

ASMAN is equally disappointed about the fact that despite the prominence the activities of the Task Force gained and the accompanying publicity from both local and international media, the President did not find it necessary to evaluate and update the honorable people of Ghana on the work so far of the Task Force; during the State of the Nation Address delivered to Parliament.

From the foregoing, we at ASMAN wish to Petition the Ministry of Mines and Natural Resources as follows:

 An independent Committee comprising the major stakeholders in the small scale mining sector be set up to investigate these allegations

 The full report on the activities of the Inter Ministerial Task Force during the first phase of their operations be made public for critical scrutiny by stakeholders

 Government upon consultations with stakeholders provides a policy direction as to what to be done profitably with the seized equipment and

 Government assures the small scale mining industry stakeholders of fuller consultations in the work of any future task force in order to avert the identified lapses.

We consider this legitimate call as very necessary against the backdrop that, up till now, no MMDCE's or their respective DISEC officials have been cited for prosecution for their involvement and still benefiting from the illegal mining activities in their various Districts as per the 6th term of reference by the President.

It is our hope that this Petition would receive the necessary attention with dispatch; to help accelerate the Development of a Sustainable Small Scale Mining in Ghana.

Nii Adjetey-Kofi Mensah
(Executive Director)
Artisanal & Small Scale Mining Africa-Network (ASMAN)

Email: [email protected] Cell: 020-816163Petition: Investigate The Inter-Ministerial Task Force On Small Scale Mining—ASM AFRICA-NETWORK

Following Government efforts at sanitizing and promoting the Small Scale Mining Sector in Ghana, several attempts have been made and continue to be made towards the attainment of this objective.

Government is also making a conscious effort to create job opportunities and livelihoods through the development of legitimate small scale mining.

Some of these initiatives have however generated some concerns which are the focus of The Artisanal & Small Scale Mining Africa-Network (ASMAN) in this Petition.

THE INTER-MINISTERIAL TASK FORCE ON SMALL SCALE MINING:

Among the initiatives at ensuring sanity in the industry was the establishment of the Inter-Ministerial Task Force by His Excellency President John Dramani Mahama in May 2013. This move by the President was lauded by all, especially Ghanaian small scale miners operating legitimately, as well as Civil Society Groups in the Sector, since it was aimed at culling illegal mining operations in the country. As regards the terms of reference, the Task Force was charged to:

• Seize all equipment used by those who fail to comply with the new directives of obtaining licenses or renewing their licenses.

• Arrest and prosecute anybody, both Ghanaians and non-Ghanaians, involved in illegal small-scale mining.

• Deport all non-Ghanaians involved in small-scale mining.

• Revoke the licenses of Ghanaians who have sub-leased their concessions to non-Ghanaians against the rules.

• Revoke the licenses of Ghanaians who have engaged the services of non-Ghanaian miners in the small-scale mining sector; which is reserved for Ghanaians only and

• Hold MMDCEs and their respective DISECs accountable for any illegal mining operation in their areas of jurisdiction.

Unfortunately however, soon after the Task Force began work, there were wild allegations of human rights abuse, looting, burning and destruction of equipment etc. made against the Task Force in the various Mining Areas especially by some legalized operators who claim also to be mistakenly affected.

Some scenes of these allegations were even shown on national television during which state security personnel were seen setting structures ablaze and harassing people, both Ghanaians and foreigners alike. It is also on record that a similar act of violence and cruelty had been meted out to a Small Scale Diamond Miner in the Eastern Region, during which two (2) excavators were allegedly set ablaze by the joint special security team which visited the mining site.

This development, we at the Artisanal & Small Scale Mining Africa-Network (ASMAN) saw as not only unfortunate but very much outside the remit of the Task Force as was clearly stated by the President.

Since then, the expectations of Civil Society was that Government through the sector Minister would have initiated some open and transparent investigations into the matter and offered the victims an opportunity to prove their cases, but nothing of the sort ever happened almost one year down the line.

Clearly these acts of vandalism and violence do not conform to our tenets as a law abiding and democratic State that is committed to dispensing Justice and Accountability.

Subsequently, there have been reports of public officials using some of the seized equipment by the Inter-Ministerial Task Force, especially excavators, in various unauthorized activities including 'galamsey', which is the very purpose for which this equipment were allegedly seized. It has also been alleged that some state security officers of the Task Force in Kumasi have even publicly been accused of rebranding some of the seized vehicles and using them for unauthorized operations.

In all these however, the Government is seen to be silence on these unacceptable acts without thoroughly investigating the matter.

ASMAN is equally disappointed about the fact that despite the prominence the activities of the Task Force gained and the accompanying publicity from both local and international media, the President did not find it necessary to evaluate and update the honorable people of Ghana on the work so far of the Task Force; during the State of the Nation Address delivered to Parliament.

From the foregoing, we at ASMAN wish to Petition the Ministry of Mines and Natural Resources as follows:

 An independent Committee comprising the major stakeholders in the small scale mining sector be set up to investigate these allegations

 The full report on the activities of the Inter Ministerial Task Force during the first phase of their operations be made public for critical scrutiny by stakeholders

 Government upon consultations with stakeholders provides a policy direction as to what to be done profitably with the seized equipment and

 Government assures the small scale mining industry stakeholders of fuller consultations in the work of any future task force in order to avert the identified lapses.

We consider this legitimate call as very necessary against the backdrop that, up till now, no MMDCE's or their respective DISEC officials have been cited for prosecution for their involvement and still benefiting from the illegal mining activities in their various Districts as per the 6th term of reference by the President.

It is our hope that this Petition would receive the necessary attention with dispatch; to help accelerate the Development of a Sustainable Small Scale Mining in Ghana.

Nii Adjetey-Kofi Mensah

(Executive Director)

Artisanal & Small Scale Mining Africa-Network (ASMAN)

Email: [email protected]