Ghana: 'Gov, Nassam Partnership Needed to Curb Illegal Mining '

The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Alhaji Inusah Fuseini, has observed that escalating illegalities in the small scale mining sector calls for a stronger partnership between the government and the National Association of Small Scale Miners (NASSM) to address the growing complexity of illegal small scale mining in the country. Citing relevant portions of the Mineral and Mining Act 703, Alhaji Fuseini stressed that NASSM was established to partner the government to regulate the artisanal small scale mining sector, and charged the executives to bring up for consideration, comprehensive and pragmatic plans to eradicate or minimise the galamsey problem. "In the interim, I will urge you to involve the district/regional security agencies to enable you intensify monitoring of artisanal miners to ensure that every miner is duly licensed and operating in accordance with approved environmental standards," the Minister declared. Alhaji Fuseini made the call when the National Executive of NASSM led district executives of its Dunkwa branch to call on him to extend appreciation for visiting the scene of a mining accident in Dunkwa where 17 galamsey operators perished.

Alhaji Fuseini toured Kyekyewere to ascertain the circumstances leading to the accident, and to commiserate with the families of the bereaved. He described the accident as a major national tragedy, and was hopeful that the loss would spur the Association on to step-up its sensitisation drive to enhance health and safety standards in the artisanal small scale mining sector. Recounting the history of small scale mining in Ghana, the Minister explained that the operations of the early artisanal miners was devoid of the sale of cocoa farms, use of harmful substances, mining in water bodies, etc., as compared to current practices which was pushing many rural dwellers to urban centers, due to the wanton destruction of the forest and water bodies. continued