Africa-Press – Ghana. The Ghana National Association of Small-Scale Miners (GNASSM) has called on the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr Christian Tetteh Yohuno, to work to ensure that the Police Service’s anti-illegal mining unit operates within a clearly defined mandate.
Mr Michael Adu Gyamfi, Ashanti District Secretary of GNASSM, who made the call, said the association had received numerous complaints from members alleging excesses committed by the police anti-galamsey team.
Speaking to journalists in Kumasi, Mr. Adu Gyamfi pointed out that the association was in support of the government’s efforts to combat illegal mining (galamsey) in the country.
He, however, stressed the importance of avoiding past mistakes that contributed to the failure of previous efforts by the government.
Mr. Adu Gyamfi highlighted specific concerns about the police task force, alleging the unwarranted seizure of excavators parked outside mining sites for safety purposes.
He also expressed dissatisfaction with what he described as continuous harassment by the police team during the transportation of mining equipment to designated sites; a situation he believes could foster corruption.
“The unwarranted accosting of Lowbed drivers to transport seized excavators without any compensation is another concern that requires immediate attention,” he stated.
Mr. Adu Gyamfi underscored the importance of learning from past experiences in the fight against galamsey.
He emphasized the need to avoid repeating previous errors to achieve more effective outcomes.
According to him, GNASSM believes a clearly defined and transparent mandate for the police service was essential for progress in this area.
“The association suggests that a persuasive approach, designed to promote responsible mining and weed out illegal operators, would be a more practical and effective strategy in combating the ‘galamsey’ menace.
The association believes this approach will achieve practical results”, he stated.
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