The General Secretary of The Ghana National Association of Small- Scale Miners (GNASSM), Godwin Armah is extremely displeased over the extension of the ban on illegal and small-scale miners.
According to him, operators have suffered losses while waiting for the ban to be lifted and find it difficult to comprehend why it will be extended when it has already taken a massive hit on their investments. He added that the decision by the Minister has been a cause for grave concerns for its members.
The Minister for Lands and Natural sources Minister, John Peter Amewu last Sunday announced an extension of the ban on small-scale mining.
According to the minister, the initial six-month ban which was expected to end in October 2017, will be extended because the objectives of the ban had not been met.
The Lands and Natural Resources Minister made this known during a tour of some mining concessions in the Amenfi East district of the Western region.
But reacting to the development during an interview on an Accra-based radio station he said: “It’s bad news for us because waiting for six months without anything and losing all of the investments is an issue that calls for a lot of concern for our members .”
He said members of the association were unhappy and have called for a meeting with the minister to present their concerns to him.” We are having a meeting with him this
“We are having a meeting with him this Wednesday. We will be meeting him to ask why him that decision has been taken and will present our issues to him so the ban will be lifted,” he said.
