The Deputy Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, George Mireku Duker, has rejected calls for a blanket ban on all small-scale mining operations, labeling them as misdirected.
His remarks come in response to appeals from professional bodies, including the Ghana Medical Association (GMA) and other unions, urging President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to impose an immediate ban on small-scale mining as a measure to address the rampant environmental degradation caused by illegal mining.
Speaking during the commissioning of the Meretweso Community Mining Scheme in the Upper Denkyira East Municipality of the Central Region, Mireku Duker argued that banning small-scale mining would be a “misplaced priority.”
He noted that not all small-scale mining activities contribute to illegal mining or environmental harm, emphasizing that responsible small-scale mining can coexist with environmental protection efforts.
“It is misdirected because I was expecting them to have condemned the statement made by His Excellency Former President [John Dramani] Mahama before even calling for this action [ban]. You can’t just, out of the blue, just say put a ban.
“Ban on what? And I agree with them perfectly, I agree with Ghanaians on the call to wake up and then battle against irresponsible mining but I am personally against the call for a ban on mining generally. You can’t ban mining.”
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