Small scale miners support the call by President to depoliticize galamsey

The Ghana National Association of Small-Scale Mining (GNASSM) has described as refreshing and welcoming, President Akufo-Addo’s admission of politicisation in the fight against illegal mining in the country.

It said the President’s call for a united approach in the fight against galamsey was a vindication of the Association’s earlier position that depoliticization was the only remedy to sanitize the sector to enable it contribute meaningfully to national development.

A statement signed by Mr Godwin Armah, General Secretary of GNASSM and issued in Kumasi, said the call by the President in his last State of the Nation Address that “we, who are the leaders, own it to the country to take the subject out of the party political arena and have an honest conversation about this menace in the future” was very appropriate.

He said the admission by the President alone, provided the opportunity to make amends and ensure that small scale mining was done responsibly and sustainably in Ghana.

Mr Armah said the Association had learnt many lessons following the NPP government’s ban on small scale mining in its first term and would not support any attempt to ban licensed Small Scale Mining again.

The Association, he said, had positioned itself well to collaborate with the government and provide all the needed assistance and direction to fight illegal small scale mining menace popularly known as “Galamsey” in the country.

Mr. Armah hinted that the leadership of the Association was planning to meet the President after the swearing-in of his second term for possible dialogue to inform his next line of action.

He said the President’s admonishment and posture was the reopening of a new chapter in the nation’s quest to secure mining and derive the maximum benefit in the areas of revenue, employment and development.

Source: GNA