The Ghana National Association of Small-Scale Miners (GNASSM) has pledged to collaborate with all stakeholders to minimise illegal mining activities in the country. Although, the association said they disagreed with the Trades Union Congress, University Teachers Association of Ghana, Ghana Medical Association, and a section of the public calling for a total ban on all forms of small-scale mining, they would not sit aloof. Mr Godwin Armah, the General Secretary, announced this at Teberebie in the Tarkwa Nsuaem Municipality, when the association held a press conference on the activities of illegal miners. The association said it had noted with great concern the recent discourse in the media by Ghanaians, regarding the pollution of water bodies and the destruction of the environment by illegal miners and share their plight, while strongly opposing the operations of these illegal entities. He said GNASSM believed that the regulation of the small-scale mining sector should be a shared responsibility between t he government, the association, and all stakeholders. 'A total ban on the small-scale mining sector has economic challenges: such as unemployment of the youth, which is a security threat, loss of investment to Ghanaian entrepreneurs, among others.' Mr Armah emphasised that licenses and permits were not issued to small scale miners in forest reserves but rather to large scale companies because regulators assumed they did not have the capacity to Mine sustainably in these reserves. 'Over, 85 per cent of all Minable land belongs to large scale Mines either in the state of reconnaissance, prospecting and a mining lease is only 15 per cent of these area is in the hands of small-scale Mines. He alleged that 'Most of the companies with prospecting licenses parcel these lands to illegal Miners especially Chinese and the destruction is unprecedented'. Mr Armah said small scale Miners were not issued with licenses to mine on river bodies so anyone mining in these areas was considered an illegal miner, adding that dredging caused five per cent of all river pollution and high turbidity levels. 'There is nothing like illegal small-scale mining, therefore it is unfair to say that the destruction to the environment is only caused by small scale Miners hence a ban on the sector. The illegal Miners are criminals who are taking advantage of the political season to perpetrate their operations and should be dealt with,' Mr Armah added. The group had called on the government to prioritise water bodies and immediately clear all the illegal Miners who were using these floaters to pollute and cause siltation which obstructed water flow. Mr Armah said GNASSM would deploy its task force at the various mining district to deal with the menace and they intended to collaborate with their traditional leaders and other stakeholders to achieve their objectives, therefore government should support this through the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assembly's. He said the government should immediately restrict the importation of major components used in the manufacturing of these mining floaters, adding that 'GNASSM would fish out and arrest all welders who are involved in the manufacturing of these equipment, and need the support of the security agencies to succeed in this operation'. The group also proposed that there should be massive community engagement and sensitisation such as the GNASSM and the UMaT radio school programme, awareness campaign and demonstrations on the importance of sustainable mining for socio-economic development. Source: Ghana News Agency