The Deputy Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, George Mireku Duker, has given strong indication of government’s resolve to arrest and prosecute persons operating illegally in the small-scale mining sector to protect the Country’s natural resources.
Speaking on the conviction of four persons by Tarkwa Circuit Court for engaging in illegal gold operations and money laundering, he averred that any person or group involved in such activities will not be spared as the law enforcement agencies will deal with them.
“This is to sound a word of caution to persons involved in illegal mining activities, especially in water bodies and forest reserves. Those involved in gold smuggling and other related activities should also take note”.
George Mireku Duker
Mr. Mireku Duker averred that the conviction of the four persons and the severity of the penalties imposed is a demonstration of government’s unshaken commitment to ridding the mining sector of all forms of illegalities.
“Government in 2019 decided that the sanctions applicable to illegal mining were not severe enough to provide the warranted deterrence and hence passed Act 995 to amend and make the sanctions stiffer. It is, therefore, Act 995 which imposes the penalties that have been applied by the court and which is expected to deter those who will be tempted to undertake illegal activities associated with mining”.
George Mireku Duker
Government’s mining sector initiatives
Honorable Mireku Duker spelt out some of the initiatives embarked on by government to make the mining sector more lucrative and generate more revenue.
He stated that government has launched the National Alternative Employment and Livelihood Programme, which provides many business and livelihood options for interested individuals to venture into.
This programme, he said, features the Community Mining Scheme, which provides a credible, responsible and sustainable alternative to the ‘galamsey’ menace. He added that the scheme has been structured to receive technical support from geoscientists to operate properly.
Honorable Mireku Duker noted that the processing equipment by Commodity Monitor, commonly known as “Gold Catcher”, which is a mercury-free processing plant is able to recover over ninety percent (90%) of the gold in ores being provided by Government through Minerals Commission to the Scheme.
“These interventions are expected to deter people from illegalities. Let me assure you that as a Ministry, we will not relent in our efforts at dealing with all forms of illegalities in the mining sector and also ensuring that mining is done in a more sustainable manner”.
George Mireku Duker
Arrest of four illegal miners
Mr. George Mireku Duker’s warning follows a press release by the Office of the Attorney-General which detailed that two Ghanaians and their Chinese counterparts were declared guilty by the court for their engagement in illegal activities.
The two Chinese namely Chen Hung and Chen Zhili were handed a hefty fine of 120,000 penalty units (Ghs 1,440.000) each or in default serve 15years each in prison. The Ghanaians on the other hand received fines of 100,000 and 120,000 penalty units (Ghs1,200,000 and Ghs 1,440,000) respectively, or in default serve prison terms of 10 years and 15years, respectively.
