A growing debate over the future of small-scale mining in Ghana has sparked a passionate defense from Reginald Owusu Boampong, a licensed small-scale miner.
In a press release issued earlier today, Mr. Boampong challenged what he described as “misplaced” calls to impose a blanket ban on small-scale mining activities across the country, following increasing public outcry over environmental degradation caused by illegal mining, also known as galamsey.
Various stakeholders, including civil society organizations, labor unions, and health professionals, have urged the government to take drastic measures, including a total ban, to protect the nation’s natural resources.
At the heart of the concern is the pollution of rivers and water bodies, which has forced the Ghana Water Company to spend vast sums of money treating contaminated water for public consumption.
Boampong, however, emphasized the distinction between illegal miners and responsible, licensed small-scale operators. “It is unjust to lump all small-scale miners into the same category as illegal miners,” he said, stressing that legitimate miners comply with regulations and contribute significantly to the nation’s economy.
He also responded to claims by some health practitioners who have linked birth deformities to chemicals used in small-scale mining.
Boampong rejected this argument as speculative, noting that deformities occur worldwide, even in developed countries like the United States and the United Kingdom, where small-scale mining is not a factor.
The miner went on to argue that banning all small-scale mining would have severe social and economic consequences, pointing out that over 3 million Ghanaians benefit directly and indirectly from the sector. “An outright ban would result in widespread unemployment and economic hardship,” he cautioned.
Boampong called for a more balanced approach, urging the government to focus on stricter regulations and enforcement to curb illegal mining, while continuing to support licensed small-scale miners who adhere to environmental standards. He warned that a blanket ban could be seen as politically motivated, with potential consequences for the ruling government in the upcoming general elections.
Read full statement below:
WEDNESDAY 14 TH SEPTEMBER, 2024.
SMALL SCALE MINING IS NEVER A CRIMINAL ACTIVITY AS BEING PERCEIVED.
Why the calls by well meaning Ghanaians including Civil society organisations, labour unions , health service practitioners etc piling up so much pressure on the government to place a total ban on all sort of Small Scale Mining activities in the country ?
In the recent times the issue of illegal mining ( Galamsey ) activities have generated public discussions in the country due to the rate at which the country’s rivers and water bodies have been polluted by illegal miners.
The government under the able leadership of His Excellency President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo has been highly criticised for not winning the Galamsey fight as he wished to do when assumed office in the year 2017.
Even though the management of Ghana Water Company have come out to complain bitterly about the rate at which it is spending huge amount of money in treating the polluted rivers to get clean , hygienic portable drinking water to serve the nation not every responsible small scale miner in the country is engaging into illegality.
It baffles my mind to have been hearing from some health practitioners in the country saying that deformities associated with new born babies are as a results of small scale mining activities because of the poisonous substances we use to wash the soil to in order to extract the gold .
I don’t agree with those who make those comments because activities of small scale mining has been carried over centuries and that these deformities associated with new born babies have been persisting for years so why do these health service practitioners claim its the activities of small scale mining ?
As a responsible and licensed small scale miner i dispute the fact that our operational activities are killing innocent people in societies and deforming people ?
Doesn’t deformities occur to new born babies in the advanced countries such as the United States of America, the United Kingdom and other European countries and could one say it is as a results of small scale mining activities ?
As a responsible and licensed small scale miner, i see this call on the government of the day as untimely and an agenda being perpetuated to undermine the government of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo, to enable the political party in government to lose votes in the upcoming December 7th general elections.
I do not support the pollution of the rivers and water bodies in the country and the destruction of the country’s forest reserves through illegal mining ( Galamsey ) activities but there are other forms of measures and approaches government could apply to curb the situation rather than putting an outright ban on small scale mining activities which Ghanaians are advocating .
It will be a more disastrous consequences when government ban all forms of small scale mining activities because research has shown that over 3,000, 000 people benefit direct and indirect jobs from the activities of responsible small scale mining activities in the country.
I thank you for your attention and God bless our homeland, Ghana.
Signed.
Reginald Owusu Boampong.
(Responsible / Licence small scale miner. )