A group calling itself Responsible Small-Scale Miners Association of Ghana (RSSMAG) has petitioned the Ghana Police Service of its intended demonstration against Organised Labour.
The group says the members want to demonstrate against Organised Labour for its decision to strike over the calls for ban on all forms of small-scale mining.
Organised Labour, as part of its calls on the government to ban all forms of small-scale mining, says it is embarking on a strike to register its concerns to the government.
The decision, is what the RSSMAG says is counterproductive. In a statement issued Tuesday, October 08, 2024, the Association noted that illegal mining is already banned in Ghana and lumping small-scale miners in it is an attempt to shutdown the livelihood of its members.
“We also want to draw the public’s attention to the fact that small-scale mining is legal in Ghana per the Minerals and Mining Act 2006, Act 703, and the wrongs of a recalcitrant few cannot be used to ban all other small-scale mining firms undertaking responsible mining,” portions of the statement contained.
The statement also added that the move is politically motivated and has declared its intention to also demonstrate against Organised Labour if it carries on with its strike.
Find below the full statement issued by the group:
We, the Members of the Responsible Small-Scale Miners Association of Ghana, have taken notice of Organized Labour’s intention threatening to embark on a Nationwide strike from Thursday, October 10, 2024, across the country as their only means of getting the government to manage the illegal mining menace.
While we acknowledge that some illegal miners have caused significant damage to our water bodies, we firmly believe that organised labour’s stance is not the solution to this century-long problem. What we need is a comprehensive approach that addresses the root causes of illegal mining.
We also want to draw the public’s attention to the fact that small-scale mining is legal in Ghana per the Minerals and Mining Act 2006, Act 703, and the wrongs of a recalcitrant few cannot be used to ban all other small-scale mining firms undertaking responsible mining.
We, therefore, find Organized Labour’s stance counterproductive, politically motivated, and an attempt to shut down our source of livelihood. Galamsey is already banned in Ghana, and therefore, Organized Labour’s call to ban legitimate mining is just an attempt to frustrate the legalised small-scale mining business.
In line of the above, we are therefore embarking on a demonstration on Friday, October 12, 2024, through the principal streets ofAccra against the Organized Labour of Ghana, urging them to desist from demonising our trade, calling on them to support various stakeholders to Fashion Out Workable Solutions to mitigate the threats associated with illegal mining.
We are counting on your usual cooperation.
