Asomah-Cheremeh (middle), Owusu Bio (right), and Deputy Information Minister, Ama Dokuaa Asiamah Agyei
MINISTER OF Lands and Natural Resources, Kwaku Asomah-Cheremeh, has reassured players within Ghana’s artisanal and small-scale mining sector that the ban on small-scale mining will be lifted before December 25th, 2018.
The Minister was addressing journalists on Tuesday in Accra at the Information Ministry’s Meet The Press Series.
According to him, Government was committed to implementing the full roadmap for lifting the ban on small-scale mining.
The ban on small-scale mining was imposed in April 2017 due to increased levels of illegal mining activities in the sector popularly known as ‘galamsey’ which was reportedly causing havoc to water bodies and the environment.
An Inter-ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining was formed by President Akufo-Addo under the chairmanship of the Minister of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, Prof. Frimpong Boateng, to look into the activities of galamsey across the country.
Minister Asomah-Cheremeh said the roadmap which has been put forward by the Committee shall be followed and that as earlier promised by Prof. Frimpong Boateng, the ban will be lifted before Christmas this year to allow the miners enjoy the festive season.
Mr. Asomah-Cheremeh did not give a specific date for the lifting of the ban but New Patriotic Party (NPP’s) Member of Parliament for Assin Central in the Central Region, Kennedy Ohene Agyapong, had earlier hinted that the ban would be lifted next week.
DAILY GUIDE is also informed that there was a Cabinet meeting over the issue earlier to see how best it can be lifted soon for mining activities to be carried out again.
Why the ban?
The imposition of the ban in 2017 was among other things aimed at reducing uncontrolled pollution of water bodies, degradation of forest and farmlands and illegal small-scale mining activities.
On August 16, 2018, the roadmap for lifting the ban was presented to the public by Prof. Boateng on behalf of the Committee, and Mr. Asomah-Cheremeh averred “and this Ministry will continue to work with the relevant stakeholders to ensure the roadmap is fully implemented.”
He noted “However, in preparation towards the lifting of the ban on artisanal and small-scale mining operations, the Ministry is planning to roll-out the Multi-Sectoral Mining Integrated Project as its flagship project.”
He reiterated that the objectives of the project include: regulate and assist artisanal and small-scale miners to improve efficiency of their operations; ensure the use of appropriate, safe and affordable technology in small-scale mining; develop alternative livelihood projects in mining communities; train miners on sustainable mining practices and extraction processes and ensure that stakeholders enforce the law reserving small-scale mining for Ghanaians.
BY Melvin Tarlue