Following a military helicopter crash that claimed eight lives, the Ghana Association of Small Scale Miners’ Ashanti Regional Secretary, Mr. Adu Gyamfi, has slammed proposals to ban small-scale mining.
He described the calls as “needless” and illogical, arguing that the crash had no connection to the activities of small-scale miners.
In a Rainbow Radio 87.5FM interview, Gyamfi stated that the crash does not warrant a complete ban on mining.
He asserted that miners did not attack the helicopter and the crash did not occur at a mining site. “Using medicine meant to treat bleeding nose to treat pains in the bone” is how he characterised the calls for a ban.
Gyamfi believes those proposing the ban are acting out of “pain, grief, and ignorance.”
He criticised leaders for being “ignorant on the reality on the grounds,” noting that unemployment drives many people into small-scale mining. He urged the government to find lasting solutions to the problem rather than engaging in “lip service.”
“Those calling for a ban on small-scale mining following the military helicopter crash are like using medicine meant to treat a bleeding nose to treat pain in the bone. One thing I have observed in Ghana is that the fight against galamsey is not a difficult task, but our approach to fighting it is our challenge.”
“Those who have proposed a ban on small-scale mining did so out of pain and grief following the helicopter crash, and also out of ignorance,” he declared.
He added that the majority of people involved in galamsey do so due to unemployment and that “our leaders are also ignorant of the reality on the ground. I would first extend our condolences to the bereaved families. But are we saying the helicopter fell into a galamsey pit and crashed? Did galamseyers shoot at the helicopter, or were the pilot and crew members galamseyers?”
He stressed that, “If politicians will stop meddling in the fight against galamsey and we will find dedicated and independent personalities to lead the fight, then we will win the fight against the illegal mining activities. If not, we should forget about it. The reality of small-scale mining is that we have not been granted any license to mine in our forest reserves and water bodies, and we have also contracted people to stop any small-scale miner from engaging in illegal activities. We have to identify those who have failed in their jobs and allowing illegal mining and stop blaming small-scale licensed miners.”
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana
