Arise and speak against calls for small-scale mining – Mireku Duker urges miners

A Deputy Minister of Lands and Natural Resources George Mireku Duker has asked small scale miners to fight for their rights.

According to him the calls by Organised Labour for small scale mining to be banned is misdirected.

The labour unions have already issued a stern warning to the government, threatening a nationwide strike by the end of September if a decisive action is not taken to address the escalating galamsey (illegal mining) crisis.

But the call has been rebuffed by the Minister in charge of the sector, calling on small scale miners to rise and defend their interest.

“Small scale miners arise and speak against the ban of small-scale mining in the Country. Anyone mining in river bodies is a destroyer so let’s flush out those people and do responsible mining,” he stated.

 

George Mireku Duker, addressing community members and traditional leaders at Meretweso, a mining community in the Upper Denkyira East Municipality of the Central Region during the commissioning of Meretweso community mining, indicated that the ban on illegal mining is misplaced priority. He indicated that the activities have drastically reduced unemployment rate in the country.

He contended that the NPP government has done well in the fight against illegal mining and therefore the purported banning is not appropriate.

The Deputy Minister shifted the blame on the NDC government citing John Dramani Mahama as the one behind the threat by Organized Labour.

Mireku Duker further indicated that NPP government will ensure responsible mining.

“We are going to have guards to safeguard the destruction of our river bodies to ensure that the rivers are clean from dirt. We have to protect our God-given natural resources,” he assured.

He said small scale mining contributes 4.8% to our GDP so it is helping to the development and growth of the economy so banning it will have adverse effect on the Ghanaian economy.

He revealed that over one million Ghanaians are benefiting from the activities so banning it entirely will create unemployment in the country.

“It is our duty to do responsible mining, and we are ready to do it this time round, because we did it in 2020 and will continue to do it for the betterment of our Country,” he pledged.

 

By Benjamin Aidoo

 

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