'Leadership issues cause of hike in galamsey' - Small Scale miners

The President of the Ghana National Association of Small-Scale Miners (GNASSM), Micheal Peprah, has attributed the hike in illegal mining to the failure of leadership to regulate mining activities.

This comes after the association at a press conference described calls by some groups to ban small scale mining as “preposterous, insensitive, and a lazy man’s approach” to solving the illegal mining menace (Galamsey) in the country.

The group has reiterated their support to collaborate with these stakeholders to minimize illegal mining in the country.

“We believe that the issues surrounding the sector must be properly addressed without emotions to save our forests and river bodies from further destruction and to safeguard our environment for healthy living and posterity for all”, the association said at a press conference in Kumasi.

Read Also: “All political parties must join galamsey fight”- NPP MP

Speaking on Atinka FM’s AM Drive with sit-in host Nana Owoahene Acheampong, President of the Ghana National Association of Small-Scale Miners (GNASSM), Micheal Peprah mentioned that after the issuance of the license for small scale mining, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Minerals Commission do not ensure that the licenses are used for the right purpose.

He added that people take the licence and later indulge in illegal mining since the authorities do not embark on routine checks.

Micheal Peprah bemoaned the destruction of the environment and pollution of water bodies caused by illegal miners’ activities.

“The issue is more of a leadership problem.” After the EPA issues a license for small scale mining, it fails to follow up on the field, and so the business of mining has become a free world. As I speak with you, the EPA is underequipped, so how can they monitor the situation?” Michael Peprah quizzed.