Prince William Ankrah
The Ghana Mineworkers Union (GMWU) has indicated that some unscrupulous people are destroying forest reserves in remote areas despite the ban on illegal mining in the country.
It said the recent arrest of more than 20 Chinese illegal miners and their Ghanaian accomplices has complicated the issues.
Prince William Ankrah, General Secretary of GMWU, in an address at the opening session of the union’s national executive council meeting on Wednesday in Accra, said the “union has always recognized the importance of small-scale mining in both the national and local economies, particularly in mining communities by way of livelihoods sustenance, employment creation etc, however, we have not also forgotten the colossal damage the unbridled and unregulated small-scale and illegal mining inflicted on and continue to inflict on the environment.
“The union would like to commend government for the ban and the sustained fight against illegal mining and also for the new benchmarks it had established as a prerequisite for engaging in small scale-mining going forward.
“It’s our firm belief that the new benchmarks, if implemented to the letter, will go a long way in streamlining the activities of the small-scale subsector of the industry for the mutual benefit of the stakeholders. Let me hasten to add that the fight against illegal mining must not only be sustained but criminalize and perpetrators well punished.”
“Equally worrying is the ballooning cost of operation of some of the companies due to the deteriorating infrastructure in most of the mining communities. At the centre of this concern are mostly the haulage companies (Ghana Bauxite & Manganese Companies) that have had their operations challenged due to the difficulty in hauling production through long and winding bumpy roads due to the absence of rail network. This infrastructure deficit is not akin to only the companies in the mines, but widespread across the local economies of the mining enclaves spreading its concomitant effects on not only mining companies but other sectors as well.
“Another worrying observation by the union is the seeming regulatory lapses and gaps over the enforcement of the standard health and safety regulations and policies in the small to medium scale mining operations in the country, particularly concessions operated by Chinese investors.
“The union has observed with grave concern instances where workers in predominantly Chinese companies work under hazardous and unsafe conditions that put both their lives and the environment under serious threat.”
“One wonders how miners, in this day and age, work in pits, plant, workshop etc in active mining operations without proper personal protective clothing, safety booths, hand gloves, nose mast, etc, violating the Minerals Commission’s Health and Safety Regulations and the Labour Act.
“Sadly, however, these serious infractions happen in areas where regulators have jurisdiction over and must ensure that standards are maintained or enforced.”
He commended government for heeding the call of the union to reconsider its decision on the income tax threshold, which was scaled up in this year’s mid-year budget review.
“This change in policy direction is a huge respite to many workers whose income and expenditure patterns got disrupted to put their financial plan back on track.”
By Samuel Boadi