Don’t stampede gov’t into lifting ban on small scale mining

I could not agree more with the President of the Ghana Chamber of Mines, Kwame Addo-Kufuor, espercially at the back of what Ghana Water is telling us about rationing water and also the fact that we will be importing water soon. Josh commenting on Ghanawebs repost of  what Lawrence Segbefia wrote on citibusinessnews.com had this to say ” Ghanaians love money and be killed by cancer if galamseyerss operations continue. Go to Japan and you will see how fresh water is clean and clear. You can see the bottom of their water bodies. Very soon that will be sold to us in Ghana, one day when Ghana’s environment is destroyed by galamseyers“. Read what Lawrence Segbefia wrote:

The Ghana Chamber of Mines is cautioning against stampeding government into lifting the ban on small scale mining before a proper assessment is done.

Government placed a ban on all small scale mining last year to check and halt illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey, to stop the destruction of forests and contamination of water bodies.

Speaking to journalists to mark the 90^th Anniversary celebration of the chamber, the President of the Ghana Chamber of Mines Kwame Addo-Kufuor warned that proper regulatory measures must be put in place before the ban on small scale mining is lifted.

“I think government is doing the right thing in sanitizing the sector. I keep telling people the chamber contributes 66 percent of Ghana’s gold production. If we can get the regulations, standards and procedure in the remaining 34 percent, and if we get them to contribute what the remaining 66 percent is contributing that will improve the economy quite a lot,” he said.

He argued that it is important to give government the free space to properly assess the impact of illegal mining on the environment to come out with a long term solutions.

He maintained that government can only do that if activities of small scale mining is halted for a period.

“So government is doing the right thing, let’s give them time to lift the ban, but in the process we must make sure our brothers are registered and that they are compliant with the mining regulations of this country,” he stressed.

He assured that members of the chamber will avail themselves to help streamline the activities of small scale miners to protect the environment.

“We us a chamber are committed to partnering them to improve the standards of mining. We are discussing various collaborations which we can put in place to support them with the safety and environment capacity building, and we will be supporting once the ban is lifted,” he stated.

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By: Lawrence Segbefia/citibusinessnews.com/Ghana

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