OccupyGhana Demands Answers Over Plan To Lift Ban On Small Scale Mining

OccupyGhana® has fired several questions over Ghana’s mining laws and the status of the national roadmap to lifting of the ban on small scale mining, for which it is demanding answers from the Chief Executive Officer of the Minerals Commission.

OccupyGhana is concerned about the “unconstitutionality of licences and leases granted to persons for the purposes of exploiting Ghana's mineral wealth without specific parliamentary ratification; the legality or otherwise of foreigners engaged in small scale mining in Ghana; and the devastation of forests and water bodies by the illegal activities of mining.

The demands by the pressure are contained in a letter it sent to the Minerals Commission on Monday, copied to Minister for Lands and Natural Resources; Minister for Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation; the Chief of Staff as well as the Speaker Parliament House.

The group observes in the letter that it has taken note of the recent announcement by the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining (IMCIM) on the roadmap to lifting of the ban placed on artisanal and small-scale mining.

OccupyGhana said the proposal by the IMCIM appears to be hurriedly put together, and it is deeply concerned about the role of the Chief Executive Officer as the regulator.

Specifically, OccupyGhana lists four demands:

1. Has Parliamentary Ratification or exemption of Licences been obtained?

2. May we have copies of reports of your comprehensive audit of the sector and the findings?

3. May we also have the list of companies which have been granted small scale mining licences, with the names of owners, addresses and contact numbers and any other relevant information?

4. What is the status of the Multilateral Mining Integration Project proposal and its role, if any, in the new road map?

“We kindly request that you furnish us with your response by Monday 24th September 2018”, it demanded.

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Source: graphic.com.gh