The National Concerned Association of Small-Scale Miners, Ghana (NCASMG), has in no uncertain terms condemned the recent burning of excavators by the Forestry Commission.
It described the practice as illegal, ineffective and harmful to both livelihoods and the national economy.
The Association argues that the government’s continued reliance on this controversial approach has done little to address the root cause of illegal mining, but rather exacerbated economic hardship by destroying valuable mining equipment, resulting in job losses and further destabilising the livelihoods of thousands of small-scale miners.
As a result, the Association has called for a probe into the incident and what it calls a “lazy approach” to combating illegal mining.
The President of the Association, Michael Kwadwo Peprah, in a statement said the burning of excavators is not a sustainable or effective solution, because these machines could have been confiscated and repurposed for land reclamation projects.
The Association stressed that rather than addressing the crisis, the destruction of excavators is worsening Ghana’s economic situation and called on President John Dramani Mahama and his administration to immediately halt the destruction of mining equipment and adopt a more sustainable approach to addressing the issue.
“The livelihoods of thousands of Ghanaians depend on small-scale mining and it is imperative that policies are implemented in a way that supports legal and responsible mining rather than destroying the means of livelihood for many,” the statement concluded.
NCASMG warned that if its concerns are not addressed, it will take further action to defend the rights of small-scale miners.
Mr. Peprah noted that thousands of workers depend on small-scale mining for their survival and the loss of critical equipment threatens their ability to earn a living.
The NCASMG further accused the Bekwai Forestry District Manager, Ernest Adofo, of leading the burning of excavators in the Manso area, while allegedly allowing certain miners to operate before the 2024 general elections.
NCASMG called for an immediate investigation into the Forestry Commission, alleging selective enforcement and political bias in its actions.
The Association urged the government, the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, and all relevant authorities to stop the burning of excavators as the destruction of mining equipment does not solve the galamsey crisis, but instead deepens financial losses and unemployment.
It also wants a full audit and investigation into the operations and activities of the Forestry Commission and any officials found to have engaged in corruption or abuse of power should be held accountable.
The association also wants fairness and transparency in the enforcement and that all miners, regardless of political affiliation or connections, must be treated equally under the law and prioritize land reclamation efforts by utilising seized machinery for environmental restoration projects instead of destroying equipment.
The Association stressed that, “If illegal mining is to be tackled effectively, it must be done without favouritism or discrimination,” because many small scale miners and Ghanaian citizens are targeted, even though large-scale mining concessions owned by politically connected individuals and foreign entities remain untouched, despite their environmental impact.
It emphasised that the government cannot continue to protect foreign-owned mining companies whilst destroying the livelihoods of its own people.
Reaffirming its commitment to responsible mining and environmental conservation, NCASMG insists that the government’s approach to fighting Galamsey must be legal, fair and effective.
