The General Secretary of the Ghana National Association of Small-Scale Miners (GNASSM), Mr. Godwin Armah has intimated that illegal mining known as ‘galamsey’ cannot end totally but can be reduced.
Speaking with the Vaultz News on the fight against illegal mining as assured by the President and the Lands and Natural Resource Minister, Samuel Jinapor, he indicated that the menace can be reduced to a point that its impact will not be of any effect.
He further stated that, for the fight to be successful, many factors influencing the illegal mining also has to be looked at.
“But there are so many dynamics that goes into how to manage galamsey and why galamsey is happening. So, it is not just saying that but we need to look at what is driving the agenda; that is the push and pull factors that it entails.
“Once we are able to identify it, dissolve some of the issues, we can minimize it drastically if not totally.”
Godwin Armah
Lands Minister’s Performance so far
Commenting on the Lands and Natural Resource Minister’s performance towards the fight against illegal mining so far, he averred his efforts were being noticed.
“He is a new minister now working with new strategies. So, for now what he has done is to tour the various mining areas…he has began in the Ashanti Region, I hope he will continue in the other regions. So far so good, that’s what he has done. But the clear policy direction of plan, I have not seen it. You know he’s new, he has not been in office for a very long time; it hasn’t even been up to hundred days… It will be very difficult to assess him or to say specifically whether he is on track or not.”
Godwin Armah
Mr. Armah also intimated that the way the Minister has started is in the right direction and hopes that he will continue. He also noted that, whatever plan the Minister will put out to fight illegal mining, he will be able to achieve it.
COVID and Small-scale mining sector
He further revealed the small-scale mining is also picking up after the effect COVID-19 has had on the sector.
He indicated that they were facing ‘double issues’ with recovery as a result of their operations that had not fully recovered after the ban and also due to the impact of COVID-19.
“We had the ban three years ago, from 2017 to 2019. We started our operation in 2019 which has affected us because people are not putting money into our operations.”
Godwin Armah
Gold Smuggling In Ghana
Commenting on the issue of gold smuggling, he described the act as a disturbing issue. He then urged relevant stakeholders to work together to ensure that it does not keep happening since the nation was losing out due to this illegality. GNASSM GNASSM GNASSM
“As a matter fact, it is a disturbing issue that, you mine the gold and the state does not get the necessary income for development.”
Godwin Armah
