The Concerned Small Scale Miners Association has demanded an extension of the seven-day ultimatum given them by government to suspend all prospecting activities in the country’s forest reserves.
Samuel Abu Jinapor, the Lands Minister on Thursday directed all individuals and companies who are engaging in prospecting and reconnaissance in forest reserves, whether legally or illegally, to suspend their activities within seven-days.
But, the President of the Association, Michael Kojo Peprah said the period will not be enough for their de-mobilisation and reclamation activities.
“The one-week ultimatum is very short because people need to reclaim those that pit dug and then they can move out of the site because if they should within one week, how are they going to cover those pits left in those forests.
“So then in our point of view we think the one-week ultimatum is very harsh, it’s very short.”
Mr Peprah, therefore, wants government to give them at least a month to pack out, adding that the current directive may not solve the problem at hand.
“People would need to reclaim the land and then after that, there can be a ban on it so that whoever did the right thing can be allowed to get back to work because there’s no law that bans people from mining in the forest.”
He further noted that the country’s constitution does not frown on mining in the forest.
“Mining in the forest is still in our constitution and people have their right documents…so if you want them to stop, I think there should have been a stakeholder engagement so that at least there will be a consultation,” he said.
The Association’s president stressed that the current seven-day is very short and that could lead to creating other problems in future.
“People will leave all these pits behind, they would not go back and cover them and it will become a death trap,” he explained.
He added, “And when this happens, the government would need to find money to go and cover these pits.”
