President John MahamaPresident John MahamaPresident John Dramani Mahama yesterday inaugurated an Inter-Ministerial Task Force to flush out Ghanaians and foreigners engaged in illegal mining (galamsey) in the country.

The five-member task force will work in a coordinated manner with the military and the police to arrest and prosecute Ghanaians and foreigners engaged in illegal mining.

The Inter-Ministerial Task Force on illegal small-scale mining is chaired by the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Alhaji Inusah Fuseini, with the Minister of the Interior, Mr Kwesi Ahwoi, the Minister of Defence, Mr Mark Woyongo, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Ms Hannah Tetteh, and the Minister of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, Dr Joe Oteng-Adjei, as members.

The task force is mandated to ensure that laws on small-scale mining are fully enforced and seize all equipment used by those who fail to comply with new directives on obtaining or renewing their licences.

It is also empowered to arrest and prosecute anybody, both Ghanaians and non-Ghanaians, involved in small-scale illegal mining and deport all non-Ghanaians involved in small-scale mining.

The task force is also mandated to revoke the licences of Ghanaians who have sub-leased their concessions to non-Ghanaians, against the rules, and revoke the licences of Ghanaians who have engaged the services of non-Ghanaian miners in the small-scale mining sector in ways that are contrary to the rules.

It is also charged to hold metropolitan, municipal and district chief executives (MMDCEs) and their respective district security committees (DISECs) accountable for any illegal mining activity in their areas of jurisdiction.

Illegal mining has become a worrying issue in the country, resulting in the killing of miners, murders, degradation of the environment and the pollution of water bodies.

The involvement of foreigners in the mining sector, coupled with the use of heavy equipment, has worsened the situation.

Inaugurating the task force at the Flagstaff House, President Mahama said illegal mining posed a threat to the nation “in terms of forests being degraded, farmlands being destroyed, water bodies being polluted and the resultant health implications for the people”.

“In the very recent past, we have all witnessed the devastation galamsey has caused to some of our water bodies and its effect on the production and supply of water to various communities,” he said.

President Mahama said there had also been casualties and loss of lives arising from conflicts in some areas where illegal small-scale mining was taking place.

“Other negative consequences of this activity include the lawless and criminal behaviour exhibited by Ghanaians and some non-Ghanaians involved in the illegal act,” he said.

The President said the setting up of the committee was to strengthen, broaden and coordinate efforts at tackling illegal mining to prevent it from generating into a crisis.

“In constituting this Inter-Ministerial Task Force on illegal small-scale mining, I am sending a clear signal to offending individuals and groupings that the government will not allow their activities to cause conflict, dislocation, environmental degradation and unemployment when, in fact, the sector should benefit our communities and help develop Ghana,” he warned.

The President explained that the government was not against small-scale mining.

“What we want is for those who are engaged in small-scale mining to follow the required procedures that govern mining in our country,” he said.

Story: Musah Yahaya Jafaru