FAGE backs call for cessation of small-scale mining

The Federation of Associations of Ghanaian Exporters (FAGE) has backed calls for the immediate cessation of all forms of small-scale mining activities across the country as a measure against the devastating effect of illegal mining. FAGE, in a press statement copied to the Ghana News Agency (GNA), expressed deep alarm by the uncontrolled surge of illegal mining activities ravaging Ghana's Ashanti, Eastern, and Western regions, particularly in the critical Birimian and Tarkwaian basins. The federation urges the government to collaborate with key stakeholders, including traditional chiefs and civil society organisations, to ensure the effective expulsion of illegal miners. They also called for the?submission of a comprehensive proposal to redirect the labour?force currently engaged in illegal mining towards productive employment, noting that this should focus on agribusiness and manufacturing, driven by large-scale investments in irrigation, agro-industrial parks, and processing facilities. FAGE stated tha t the government must immediately fund renewable natural resources researchers and ecologists at Ghana's leading universities to execute bio-remediation strategies aimed at restoring the damaged environment. It also called for the swift prosecution of all individuals whose negligence has contributed to the environmental devastation in the country. 'We call upon all political parties to review, publish, and commit to sign a performance contract with the Ghanaian people, outlining their commitment and strategies to combat illegal mining effectively.' They also urged the media to maintain consistent coverage of this critical issue until long-term solutions are implemented and their efficacy is proven. They reminded Ghanaians that the devastating consequences of this unchecked illegal mining epidemic are far-reaching and potentially irreversible, as it brings severe threats to national food and water security, unprecedented biodiversity loss that may never be recovered, and the destruction of vast tracts of a gricultural lands, farms, and plantations, among other effects. Source: Ghana News Agency