Inter-Ministerial Task Force On Plundering Spree?

 
President John Dramani Mahama announced the formation of an inter-ministerial task force on illegal small-scale mining last month.

Inaugurating the controlling panel, President Mahama lamented that the menace of illegal small-scale mining was threatening to become a national security issue, and that if care was not taken, it would lead to lawlessness.

He, therefore, called on the panel to flush out the illegal small-scale miners by seizing their assets.

But, barely a month into its operations, the media is awash with reports that the operational arm of the panel -a joint team of police and military men, customs, immigration and national security operatives - are marauding across the countryside, implementing a peace-time scorched-earth policy - burning perceived illegal equipment, instead of confiscating them.

One company in particular, Hansol Mining Company (HMC), claims that its equipment have been set ablaze by the taskforce, even though it is not illegal or small-scale, and its stock of gold looted.

The company claims to have a video of the pillaging security men, with the faces of the culprits clearly showing.

And it would appear that members of the panel who sent them are not concerned about the image of the panel and that of the President who empowered them.

Taking refuge in official red-tape, they claim there is no need for them to intervene, because no official complaint had been lodged with them

The Chronicle finds this laidback attitude at ministerial level quite unpatriotic and a disservice to the country.

It is not inconceivable that some illegal gold mining barons, unwilling to let go their pots of illegal gold, would gather some layabouts, put them in illegal or stolen police and military uniforms, and get them to impersonate members of the taskforce.

If, indeed, such impersonation is going on in the hinterland, how could the steering committee of the task force disprove it and ensure that Ghanaians reap the positive benefits that President Mahama envisaged when he set-up the inter-ministerial panel.

And, if indeed, it is the taskforce members who are the marauders, then they should be brought to book promptly to serve as a deterrent to those who would replace them.

Also, those whose properties and assets have been razed to the ground or looted be appropriately compensated.

The Chronicle expects that the committee members would shake off their self-imposed lethargy and investigate this anomalous situation this weekend, so that it could give Ghanaians an unambiguous report on this scandal next week.

For now, a word to the wise…