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14.11.2017 Regional News

Gov’t Collapsing Our Businesses For Party Members---Small Scale Miners Allege

By Otec FM
Govt Collapsing Our Businesses For Party Members---Small Scale Miners Allege
14.11.2017 LISTEN

The Ghana National Association of Small Scale Miners has bemoaned over President Akufo Addo led NPP government intentionally collapsing their businesses for party members.

According to them, the government decided to train 2000 small scale miners at University of Mines and Technology (UMaT) located at Tarkwa within six (6) months but they have turned around and they are training party Chairmen and Youth Organizers.

Speaking to otec news’s Kwaku Anane Jnr, the spokesperson of the association, Michael Peprah angrily stated in categorically that the government is campaigning of fighting illegal miners but indirectly they are fighting legalized small scale mining.

He said illegal miners’ popularly known as galamseyers are working whiles the legalized small scale miners are still at home. “small scale miners are at home but the galamseyers are working, the three months ban has been activated what are the measures the government is putting in place within the three months to curb the menace he couldn’t say these are measures I am instituting within the three months so that if I fail you hold me responsible or is it the party members who have been trained in mining are going to work,” Michael Peprah noted.

“They decided to train 2000 small scale miners at University of Mines and Technology (UMaT) located at Tarkwa within six (6) months but I can speak within fear or favor many party chairmen are included, I can mention their names but it is not prudent to do so however, if they come out and deny I will mention the names, if they are not collapsing our businesses for the party members why is it that small scale miners are at home whiles Youth organizers are under training” he bemoaned.

He added it appears they have been targeted by the ban which does not apply to large-scale miners despite the fact that both small and large-scale mining is regulated by the same law.

The Ghana National Association of Small Scale Miners is unhappy about government’s decision to extend the ban on small-scale mining by three more months.

Michael Peprah said “We have never been in support of the ban. Especially a ban that is discriminatory against us as licensed small-scale miners. Small-scale mining and large-scale mining [are both regulated by the same law], and so the fact that this ban affects one section for the two groups who are supposed to be regulated under the same law, we deeply feel that it is discriminatory. We were aware there was going to be an extension, but we have never been in support of the extension.”

Last Friday, the government through the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, John Peter Amewu, announced the extension of the of the temporary ban which seeks to allow water bodies and lands that have been destroyed as a result of mining to be regenerated.

The miners have on various occasions appealed to the government to end the ban which they claim is negatively affecting their livelihood. Some miners in the Ashanti Region subsequently embarked on a demonstration to press home their demand.

Michael Peprah concluded that filling stations, banks and other companies are collapsing due to the ban of the small scale mining which has resulted in hardship in the country.

Otec FM
Otec FM

News ContributorPage: otefmghana

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