Partner government to clean up Small-Scale mining sector

The Hon. Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel A.Jinapor, says the government’s resolve to clean up the Small-Scale mining and root out illegalities in the sector is unflinching.

He said the current clean up exercise in the sector will ensure decent and well-regulated mining for the development of the country.

The Minister stated this when he addressed the Ghana National Association of Small-Scale miners at Dunkwa-On-Offin at the end of his two-day tour of the Central Region.

“Our efforts so far is seeing some level of results, adding that you need sustain efforts to get results,” he said.

The Small-Scale mining sector, according to him, contributed about 40 percent of total gold production out of the country and to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), helping also to boost local economies.

“We will therefore continue to use broad base support to regulate Small-Scale mining”, Hon. Jinapor said.

Government, he indicated was not relenting its efforts to root out illegal mining, assuring that the ban on illegal mining was forever.

He admonished small scale miners to mine rights to attract the needed benefits and asked them to adopt what he described as ” Peer regulation” to help push the sector forward.

Hon. Jinapor dismissed claims that the government has given up the fight against illegal mining, saying ” we have not given up the fight”.

He assured Ghanaians that the government was determined to sustain its efforts to curb the menace and promote peace and harmony in the sector.