Chief Executive Officer of Okobeng Mining Company, Nana Okobeng Amponsah, has charged government to refocus its fight on illegal mining by sparing Ghanaian small scale miners and chasing after their Chinese illegal miners.
According to him, the government’s constant harassment and stigmatization is unfair, especially when their form of mining is regulated, whereas Chinese illegal miners who ought to be chased out and prosecuted are left to roam freely and increase destruction to the country’s water bodies and forest reserves.
“We acknowledge the government’s efforts to combating galasmey, but we urge them to focus on the real culprit-the Chinese illegal miners who are devastating our environment and flouting our laws,” he stated.
“The Chinese illegal miner shave the resources and technology to cause massive environmental damage, and they must be held accountable,” he said in an interview with Daily Guide.
With the severe impact of illegal mining being felt in Ghana, there have been calls by religious and advocacy groups, Civil Society Organizations, Allied health groups and numerous others for a ban on all forms of mining in Ghana.
Nana Okobeng’s remarks comes in a timely fashion as he tries to absolute small scale miners and keep their business running.
