The Member of Parliament for Bongo Constituency in the Upper East Region, Edward Abambire Bawa, believes the government has collapsed homes with the ban on small scale mining in the country.
The MP said “most of these guys who are involved in the small scale mining were licensed so they may have gone for capital and invested into the business but because the government decided to ban them means they have locked their capital”.
The Lands and Natural sources Minister, John Peter Amewu, has disclosed that the ban on small-scale mining will be extended.
The Minister said initial assessment of the ban shows only 15 percent of the set target has been achieved making it improper to lift the ban.
Contributing to discussions on TV3’s New Day hosted by Bright Nana Amfoh, Mr. Bawa said: “The action by the Ministry and government is a welcome one but if those who are doing the large scale mining are allowed, we should allow the small scale miners who are doing the right thing to go back”.
“The banks are worrying them and I have advocated for local mining because Newmont, Anglogold will take their money away. This is the only one that will stay in Ghana so let’s streamline this thing so that they do it properly in that manner.”
Mr. Bawa added: “What you are doing now, you are collapsing homes. Ensure you streamline the activities of small-scale mining and let them go back to work because of the loans that they have taken”.
The Member of Parliament for Ledzokuku Constituency in the Greater Accra Region, Dr. Bernard Okoe Boye, who was also on the show, said “we are begging [illegal miners] to as soon as possible end their activities so that those who are legitimate can go back to work”.
By Kweku Antwi-Otoo|TV3|3news.com|Ghana