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Mike Gizo, Executive Member of the Small-scale Miners Association in the Ashanti Region, has said licensed small-scale miners have over the years contributed to the fight against illicit mining (galamsey) in the country.

According to him, due to low media coverage of their actions, the general public is unaware of their efforts.

His comments follow Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II’s criticisms against the licensed small-scale miners for allowing galamseyers to infiltrate their ranks.

The Asantehene made the comments when the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, John Peter Amewu, paid a courtesy call on him last week.

Responding to the monarch’s assertion in an interview with Chief Jerry Forson, host of Ghana Yensom, on Accra100.5FM on Monday May 22, Mr Gizo said: “We used to fight against these illegal miners, but because we did not have the support we could not win the war against them.

“We have taken positive steps to end galamsey, but because there was no media coverage on these actions we took, people are unaware and that might have informed the Asantehene’s comment.”

He added: “We are licensed and so we do not destroy water bodies and the environment.”