The Ashanti District branch of the Ghana National Association of Small Scale Miners (GNASSM) has threatened a demonstration against alleged harassment of its members by military operatives in the Amansie South enclave of the Ashanti region.
The planned demonstration also has to do with seizure of excavators of small-scale miners followinga selective target approach, which they consider as a departure from the ideal principles of reality.
A statement issued by the union and signed by its Ashanti District Secretarty, Mr. Michael Adu Gyamfi, explained that such operations are being carried out with a selective target approach.
He said most of the affected miners in these military operations are not operating in the red zones yet their excavators have been seized for no apparent reason whilst others in the same locations mining in the forest and on the river bodies which should be the focus of their operations are either left off the hook or not even their target.
Expressing its total dissatisfaction over alleged harassment of its members by the military operatives especially in the Amansie South enclave, the Association alleged inconsistencies in government directives vis-à-vis military operations aimed at flushing out illegal small scale miners operating within the no- go-areas (“Red Zones”) amid seizure of excavators.
According to the union’s scribe, the military are wrongfully targetting its members instead of the perpetrators and thus making it difficult for members to make meaningful gains.
The associstion also revealed that inspite of numerous interventions by the government to address illegal small scale mining menace, the sector minister, Hon. John Abu Jinapor has delayed the signing of new licences and renewals.
It noted that licensing is a major step towards promoting legal mining and that the delay is a threat to government effort as it would contribute to promoting illegal small scale mining.
The GNASSM indicated that such demeanor and posture of the minister, which they claim is deliberate, is worrisome.
Referring to the Minerals Commission’s online application portal (MCAS), the Association also claimed that over 5,000 licences and recommendations are piled up on the minister’s desk waiting for his endorsement and dared him to publicly set the records straight regarding the number of licences he has signed so far.
The small-scale miners Union also reminded the government that the promise
of block out areas for small scale mining and its allocation has also become a mirage and queried how the “Gold for oil” policy will succeed against all these odds.
It has cautioned the government to sit up and protect small-scale miners because non adherence to these concerns will result in a massive demonstration soon.
The Association stated that it believes and supports in principle any attempt by the government to sanitize the operations of illegal small scale mining activities but not without recourse to reason and equity.
“As much as we detest to draw political conclusions on small scale mining operations in the region, we are compelled to do so due to the magnanimity of happenings in the Ashanti region which calls for answers and clarity”, the association said.
The GNASSM has recommended that the government initiates a pragmatic approach to deal with miscreants who are not part of the small-scale miners but mine in the rivers causing pollution which it said is its biggest worry.
It has suggested that in future legitimate operations concentrate on the red zones so that its members mining responsibly out of the red zones would be at liberty to work whilst we find solution on the release of the seized excavators.
The Association noted that the genesis of missing excavators in similar operations which plunged some of our members into abject poverty, pain and death is still fresh in their minds and insisted they would not allow its recurrence.
GNASSM also reminded the government not to undermine its potentials and strength to influence the political electoral process, especially in the Ashanti region and the NPP fortunes.
It cautioned that it would advise itself as an association if the status quo is continued because small-scale miners have suffered a lot in the hands of this administration.
