Small-Scale Miners are not illegal miners – Small-scale Miners Association

The National Small-scale Miners Association has distanced itself from the operations of illegal miners, arguing that it has been dragged into recent media commentary regarding illegal mining (galamsey) activities.

According to the Association, this long-standing misconception stems from the pressure to clamp down on illegal mining activities, often blurring the lines between small-scale mining entities licensed to operate, and illegal miners.

Speaking at the launch of its Anti-galamsey taskforce on Wednesday, President of the Association Micheal Kwadwo Peprah clarified that members of the Association are local entities licensed to operate within legal frameworks, adding that such entities, if found in violation of the said legal frameworks, are sanctioned accordingly.

“The taskforce will work with the media to make sure that people who are mining with impunity on our waterbodies are cleared off, because when the pressure comes, people always box small-scale miners and illegal miners together, but we want the country to know that small-scale miners are Ghanaians who have acquired their licenses and are mining within legal frameworks,” he said.

On the mandate of the taskforce, the Association’s president explained that all of its activities will be geared towards supporting the government’s anti-galamsey interventions, highlighting that as groups that operate within illegal mining hotspots, the taskforce will act as quick reaction force, given its extensive knowledge of these areas.

“The taskforce is made up of members of our association, and they have been mandated to go on the various waterbodies and make sure that any person who is found on these waterbodies, mining with impunity is cleared from these places,” he said, adding that the taskforce will work closely with state institutions to monitor mining activities, sensitize communities, and promote responsible mining practices.

“We are in the communities and we know where these people are, and in so doing, the taskforce will work with the media, so that people will understand why these people on our waterbodies need to be cleared off,” he added.