Small scale miners in Ghana have made a passionate and urgent call on President John Dramani Mahama to institute a probe into the operations of an illegal anti-galamsey taskforce.
This taskforce, formed by some self-centred individuals claiming to be powerful, has been undermining the government’s efforts to tackle illegal mining and threatening the activities of licensed small scale miners.
A recent report from the Western Region indicated that the illegal taskforce clashed with the government’s National Anti-Galamsey Taskforce, a situation that nearly caused a major disturbance.
However, through the intervention of the sector Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Buah, the National Anti-Galamsey Taskforce was called back.
Sources said the illegal taskforce later blocked the National Taskforce’s route to Accra, asking them to surrender, and it took several hours before tensions died out.
According to the miners, recent attacks by the illegal taskforce have seen them brutalise and seize machines also destroyed a brand new SUV car.
The miners are of the strong position that if a committee is set up to investigate the matter, the government’s efforts to tackle illegal mining activities will be achieved.
Licensed small scale miners will also have the peace to operate and contribute their quota to national development.
The miners are calling on the government to take immediate action to disband the illegal taskforce and ensure that the legitimate mining industry is protected.
This illegal taskforce has recently stormed other licensed mining sites in the Ashanti region with their unauthorised operations, extorting moneys from these miners, according to the source.
Within a space of one week, the National Small Scale Miners Association and the Ghana Concerned Small Scale Miners have held separate press conferences to complain about the state of their businesses.
The miners expressed their frustration and disappointment over the attacks by the illegal taskforce.
The National Small Scale Miners Association, therefore, called on the government to take decisive action against the illegal taskforce. The association argued that the actions of the taskforce are not only damaging to their businesses but also undermining the government’s efforts to regulate the mining industry.