The National Concerned Small-Scale Miners Association of Ghana has thrown its support behind the government’s Responsible Cooperative Mining Scheme, describing it as a better way to tackle illegal mining than relying mainly on security operations.
The association believes the initiative could help bring more miners into the legal sector, improve regulatory supervision, protect the environment and safeguard the livelihoods of people who depend on small-scale mining. In a statement issued on October 26 and signed by its President, Michael Kwadwo Peprah, the association criticised the New Patriotic Party (NPP) for opposing the formalisation approach supported by the Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod).
It challenged the opposition party to propose practical alternatives for tackling illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey, rather than criticising the initiative without offering workable solutions. The association argued that the NPP must explain how it intends to address illegal mining, protect the environment and support miners whose livelihoods depend on the sector.
It also called on the party to clarify whether its opposition to the scheme was based on genuine concerns about the policy or political considerations. The association noted that Ghana had taken steps to regulate small-scale mining since the introduction of the PNDC Law on Small-Scale Mining in 1989 under former President Jerry John Rawlings.
However, it said the existing licensing system had not succeeded in bringing all miners into the formal sector, making additional measures necessary to help unlicensed operators regularise their activities. According to the association, the Responsible Cooperative Mining Scheme could complement the existing licensing framework by providing an opportunity for miners willing to operate responsibly to work within the law.
The association further stressed that small-scale mining remained a major source of income for many young Ghanaians who depend on the activity to support themselves and their families. The association therefore urged policymakers to consider the economic realities of these miners while developing strategies to combat illegal mining.
