There's no ban on small scale mining, but there's a ban on irresponsible mining" - Minister free miners

The Deputy Minister for lands and natural resources, Mr George Mireku Duka has said small scale miners who have an approved license can now go back to work.

The Minister who disclosed this during a dialogue meeting with Small Scale miners in Kumasi on Thursday, however, warned irresponsible miners to refrain.

“All small scale miners can go back to work if only you have an approved license. There's no ban on small scale mining, but there's a ban on irresponsible mining.”  He said.

According to him, the government of Ghana has not banned the trade as was thought by many others. He however revealed there is only a ban on illegal mining.

The minister has however charged members of the association to embark on responsible mining.

He also disclosed that miners who have registered license through the new biometric directives are sought to place their a signboard on their sites to ease identification.

The deputy minister said a new strategy adopted by the ministry was to establish a task force to do periodic checks on various mining sites. He revealed the task force will be made to arrest recalcitrant illegal miners.

In their quest to win the battle, the Honourable Member further revealed that the Ministry of Lands and natural resources were going to liaise with the minerals commission through quarterly meetings to dialogue on ways to improve the sector.

Some other strategies according to the minister were that there is going to be an establishment of an award scheme to praise miners who did appropriate work on-site under the regulation. He revealed that the first award will be done in November this year.

Lastly, the honourable minister cautioned members of the association to stop engaging illegal foreign nationals in the industry.

Mr Sampson Kofi Wiredu, National Vice President of the Small Scale Miners' Association who spoke on behalf of the association commended the government for taking that wonderful step.

According to him, leadership was going to make sure no miner goes contrary to the new directives. He finally pleaded with the government to trust members, as they were prepared to use their task force in the fight.

"We plead with the government to trust our us our task force. Our major worry in the sector is how recalcitrant illegal miners keep on operating on water bodies and other red zone areas. 

"We can confidently say that our men are competent to deal with such people from the system within a short time. We, therefore, plead with the government to trust us on that. There are good swimmers among the task force and they also known the grounds," he said.

A section of small scale miners who spoke to Soireenews after the declaration commended the government for the good steps it has taken. They however pledged to work in accordance with the new directives.

Nana Peprah, Ashanti