The Ghana Chamber of Mines (GCM) has advocated the rigorous enforcement of mining regulations to specifically address individuals who violate Ghana’s mineral laws, rather than employing broad, and generalised approaches.
The Chamber emphasised that campaigns and media narratives that conflate all mining activities in Ghana were not conducive for the government and stakeholders in their strategic planning.
In an interview with journalists following a mining tour organised by the Chamber for the Journalists for Business Advocacy (JBA) at selected mining sites in the Tarkwa area of the Western Region, the Director of External Relations and Communications, Mr Ahmed Nangtomah, said, “There is a distinction between responsible mining and illegal mining. It is counterproductive to impose a ban on activities that are already illegal. What is required is effective enforcement to prevent these illegal actions.”
Mr Nangtomah proposed that the focus should be on identifying and penalising those engaged in illegal mining, particularly those operating in water bodies, thereby causing pollution and environmental degradation without any mitigation efforts.
He asserted that only by concentrating on the “bad actors” would the industry recognise that the government and regulatory bodies were fulfilling their responsibilities effectively.
The GCM External Relations Director noted that the Chamber, as an advocacy organisation, it aimed to provide leadership and collaborate with the media to improve the dissemination of information.
“We are convinced that engaging with the media and sharing our perspective will aid in
promoting awareness about the role of mining as a driver of development. The visits to various sites have made the differences evident,” he mentioned.
He added that GCM members, which consist of large-scale operations, adhere to regulations, comply with legal frameworks, and prioritise environmental, social, and governance considerations, which are vital for the nation.
He further mentioned that mining companies actively prevent pollution by treating wastewater