The CEO of the Minerals Commission Martin Ayisi has revealed that more women are participating in small-scale mining than men.
Appearing before the Assurance Committee to answer questions to the Committee of Parliament on Monday, October 7, he said, “many of you don’t know, but there are more women in small-scale than men, this 3 million we are talking about there are more women”.
He further explained that small-scale mining is open to only Ghanaians hence any foreigner engaged in small-scale mining amounts to illegality saying, “The small-scale mining is open to Ghanaians only so any foreigner who is involved in small scale is illegal”.
“If you look at Act 900 and 995 it is even so strange that they even go ahead to say that anybody who goes ahead to solicit for a foreigner to engage in small-scale mining amounts to illegal mining”. Martin Ayisi reiterated.
Martin Ayisi also stated that the main problem driving illegal mining is getting a place for miners to work, he said, “Until that is resolved, we will only go round in circles, the question then is how are we getting a place for them to work”.
