Chairman for Wassaman Small Scale Mining Association (WMSSMA) in the Western Region, Mr. Emmanuel Quarm, has stated that the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Mr. John Peter Amewu, has no power to ban activities of small scale miners in the country.
According to him, the decision by government through the minister to ban activities of small scale miners without the approval of Parliament was a complete “violation of the Minerals and Mining Act, 2006 (Act 703) which enables the minister to seize equipment and accoutrements used by illegal miners.” “What this current government through the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources has done is purely illegal. It is an illegal thing and there is no justification for it,” he added.
Quoting Section 87 of the Minerals and Mining Act, 2006 (Act 703) to support his claim, Mr. Quarm explained that there is nowhere in the law which indicates that a minister can put a ban on activities of small scale miners until it has been approved by Parliament. “We should not forget that small-scale mining was established by an Act of Parliament and that any attempt by the minister to put an embargo on activities of small scale miners must come from the same Parliament. “….the establishment of the Minerals and Mining Act, 2006 (Act 703) of the Parliament must be removed or amended by the same Parliament,” he stated. He pointed out that “we should not forget that the minister is operating within the minerals and mining law being the main governing legislative instrument, saying that any power by the minister to seize equipment and machines of licenced miners should come from the law.
In his estimation, the minister was operating outside the law. Speaking in an exclusive interview with Today via telephone, Mr. Quarm stressed that the power vested in the minister was only to revoke a licence of illegal miners but not the licenced small scale miners. He challenged the minister to come out and explain to Ghanaians about how he got his powers to ban small scale activities.
Mincing no words, Mr. Quarm threatened to take legal action against the Akufo-Addo-led government if the ban on small-scale mining was not lifted immediately.
He stressed that: “We are giving the government two weeks to lift the ban on mining or else “we will sue the government.” He added that “We are not illegal miners. We are licensed small-scale miners.” “The state gave us the licence to mine and so why is the government asking those of us, the legal miners, not to do our business. “The rule of law must work and so the extension of the six-month ban is unconstitutional and insensitive.
Our children are unable to attend school because we can’t work,” he lamented. He, therefore, appealed to President Akufo-Addo to reconsider the ban on small-scale mining. He argued that government has discriminated against them with the ban because the large scale mining companies are still operating at the detriment of the small scale miners.
Source: today
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Well said Mr. Quarm, but don't go fighting a battle you cannot win. All it takes is a vote by parliament, in which the Government has the majority. Unfortunately, the legal miners may be complying whiles the "Illegal Miners" are still busily making money. To those who think Government should keep the ban imposed, I’m sure you would have no problem should Government declare banned your LEGAL source of income. Government has all the powers and resources to enforce the laws governing small scale mining. They should sit up and do their gud damn work and stop taking the easy way out. 9 months has gone by, can't they think of new policies to manage the situation rather than keep depriving people of their livelihoods?. Not to talk about politically connected persons who would from time to time by flouting the laws and paying their way out. Tackle the problem without creating another problem.
@KWARTENG if NPP used LIES for them to be voted to power, it means NDC also used LIES for winning 2008 to 2012 Elections. It takes 4 years for a Government to fulfill promises. So DO NOT worry as we are only in 10 Months out of 48 months. By the way YOU ARE NOT A GALAMSEY MINER. You pretended to be a Illegal Miner. I KNOW you really.
this wassaman man is saying that it is the government which gave them the liecence to mine and therefore the coming out to ban mining for another six months is illegal.my question to him is who is the government and whom is the minister representing? he must understand that government is made up cabinet, the legislator and the judiciary.please understand that the minister as a cabinet member is the government and not only the president.so you cant sue the minister for taking decision on behave of cabinet or government. they are the implementation of state polices.
such selfish people like this quarm guy should not be given any publicity. the ban will continue to be banned.
The government will not lift the ban if the ministers actions are illegal, you can go to the court, after all any 'mosquito' can go to court.
The NPP is best at lies and propaganda. They will come out say white when the actual colour is read. From reliable sources,they are doing this for propaganda reasons,but will lift the ban when we are getting to elections because to them Ghanaians easily forget things. But, we the miners are aware that this is their intention so that when they lift the ban when elections are approaching,they will deceive us to vote for them and after they win the election they bring back the ban again. Ghanaians cannot be ***barred word*** again by this NPP party. If you look at the promises they gave to Ghanaians during the campaigns and compare it with their performance and behavior in govt,it is utterly surprising. We have indeed learnt a bitter lesson. God send us all to 2020.
LOOK THE GOVT IS NOT PREPARED TO LIFT THE BAN NOW, BUT THE SAD THING IS THAT THE BAN IS SELECTIVE. NPP BIG WIGS ARE SERIOUSLY MINING. WONTUMI, MPS, MINISTERS OF STATE AND OTHER NPP GURUS ARE BUSY MINING,SO WHY THE PROPAGANDA THAT THERE IS A BAN? HYPOCRITES.
This man, the Chairman for Wassaman Small Scale Mining Association (WMSSMA) in the Western Region, Mr. Emmanuel Quarm, DO NOT THINK GOOD for the Nation's future. He ONLY thinking about their (members) Goodwill. We should think about the NATION FIRST before our own. If such people Leads this Nation (Ghana) what will happen for the nation from now to even two years coming? By the way he has shown the way, The Government for that matter send a bill to Parliament to BAN Illegal Activities. The Government has the Numbers to have that Bill Passed. If the change of Government had NOT COME, what would have Happen to our River Bodies and Land (Environment). Also by this time Cote D'Ivoire might have invaded the country Ghana for FORCE Illegal Miners to stop their Activities because their water source come from here Ghana. And this also might bring bring a War between Ghana and Cote D'Ivoire. The Government should NOT lose focus or consider few individuals in the country but rather think about the MAJORITY of Ghanaians.
you must be maad