Arrest Miners Who Operate On Water Bodies – Communication Director, Small Scale Miners Association Of Ghana

The Communications Director for the Small Scale Association of Ghana, Abdul Razak has charged citizens to arrest people who mine on water bodies.

He made this comment after the Deputy Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Mr George Mireku Duker conducted an aerial assessment of Operation Halt at Wassa Dunkwa.

In line with this exercise, 26 persons were arrested at an illegal mining site at Patase, Wassa. Dunkwa, in the Wassa Amenfi East of the Western Region.

According to him, small scale miners are guided by land specifications which forbid them from mining on river bodies and forest reserves.

Miners, he said,  are expected to mine 100 metres away from the riverside.

He added that no law in the country allows for mining activity to take place on the water bodies.

” There’s no law in this country which gives you the power to go and mine on water bodies. Small scale mining do not give license to mine on water bodies or forest, those places are no go area for us. Miners are to move 100 metres away from a river body, where a legal miner is expected to construct a pond as a form of recycling.” he mentioned.

He said until some politicians do not get involved in illegal mining activities, the fight cannot be won.

“Party Chairpersons have concession in these mining activities, and some only select their party members to work for them. Those who are not affiliated to any party get to engage in ‘galamsey’. We don’t want our sector to be reduced to the level where toilet and toll booths are seized when one’s party comes to power.

Until the small scale miners are left to manage their affairs, the fight against illegal mining can be women” he stated.