Do Not Ban Galamsey and Small Scale Mining- Wassa Amenfi Galamseyers and Small Scale Miners Cry

We members of concerned galamseyers and small scale miners of Wassa Amenfi are aware of the growing negativity against galamsey by the media in Ghana. This probably has been engendered by land degradation and water pollution issues related to galamsey. As a result, there is mounting pressure on authorities to ban galamsey.

Yes, galamsey and small scale mining have brought many environmental and social issues, but we the galamseyers and small scale miners of Wassa Amenfi believe that a ban is not the way forward! Recognition, regularization and re-formalization are the best ways.

Galamsey and small-scale mining occurs in about 45 countries on the continent of Africa, providing direct employment to more than 9 million people and supporting over 54 million dependents. It is a significant source of cobalt used in the production of lithium ion batteries to power cell phones, laptop computers and electric vehicles. Galamsey and Small scale mining in Congo, Ghana and Sierra Leone, for example, are a major source of diamond.

In Ghana, galamsey and small-scale mining provides livelihoods to over 3 million people and accounts for more than 30% of total gold produced in the country. Additionally, galamsey and small-scale mining has been the only source of diamond in Ghana since 2008.

Prior to election 2016, almost all political parties had clear cut views in their manifestos to regularise galamsey and small scale mining.

For example, Page 27 of the ruling NPP manifesto states:

"NPP will reconstruct the Small Scale Mining Industry so that its activities can take place within GUIDELINES set up under the appropriate Regulations.

This will enable small scale miners to work and earn their living in a regulated, secure and lawful environment."

This is our source of absolute hope in the NPP Government not the public outcry of banning galamsey.

We are very resolute that the government of the day will put all measures in place to regularise our activities and further commit ourselves to upholding and defending any rules and regulations to this course.

There was a home grown policy in Amenfi East by the previous government, which empowered taskforce from the assembly to ensure that all lands are reclaimed after mining. This until the change of government helped regularized our activities. We believe this was a very good step and had positive effects on our activities and the environment.

Those calling for a ban as the way forward are missing the point. Banning galamsey will NEVER be successful because galamsey is too big an industry to ban.

Banning galamsey will only create the impression that we have achieved something but in actual fact, we would have just scrapped the surface and created more mess taking into consideration the political and socioeconomic effects after the ban.

We have no shear of gilt that a ban is not something to advocate if you really understand the issues but lasting solutions which can be achieved through sustainable interventions.

We are of the view that government needs to understand the issues first, reflect and hold broader consultations of which our doors are widely opened and to enable government propose the way forward.

We are of the view that regularised and sustainable galamsey and small-scale mining can significantly minimize poverty in the country and be a drive to a remarkable socioeconomic developments and that is a sure way to mitigate the social and environmental issues and improve the sector to derive maximum benefits.

A ban will be a suicidal move for Ghana!
God bless our homeland Ghana!
Emmanuel Kwaku Fosu- Convenor -0501261230
William Affum- member
0208947121
Collins Aidoo- Member
0202866867