THE GALAMSEY CHRONICLES...GOVERNMENT MUST CONTROL SMALL AND MEDIUM SCALE MINING.

In my last write up on Galamsey Chronicles Series published on 11th April 2017, I promised to continue the series by touching on some solutions to do with government's control of the Small and Medium scale mining sector so as to curb the numerous challenges Ghana is facing due to inappropriate and illegal mining.
After 11th April, 2017 when I published my article titled Galamsey Chronicles...#StopGalamseyNow is a Nine-day wonder, the unfolding occurrences on galamsey actually scared me from writing the next piece which is what you are reading now. The whole galamsey industry especially to do with its fight amazes me because just when Ghanaians decided to wage a huge war against galamsey, the following developments are really shocking. From threats received my the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources to the brutal killing of Captain Maxwell Adam Mahama at Denkyira-Boase. Actually the developments almost deterred me from writing the next piece on galamsey because I used to have the feeling that anyone who renders a commentary on galamsey but does so in contrary to the interest of any party involved in the galamsey brouhaha can be abused or killed.

But aside the scare, I feel that nothing should stop me from sharing my opinions when I have a blog and the knowledge to write my opinions. It is in this light that I decided to continue my article series titled Galamsey Chronicles and zoom in on control plus the need for government to totally control the small and medium scale mining sector if it is really considering ending the menace that comes with the illegality.
We must keep in mind that Ghana on couple of occasions tried to stop the negative effects that the activities of galamsey are causing on our environment and the economy of this country but many of the times failed or effected very little changes. I am of the view that one reason why government is unable to champion the fight in these couple of times it tried fighting the menace is because small and medium scale mining is run by licensed/unlicensed individuals in form of a private business.
Anyone interested in mining goes to the Mineral Commission, obtain a license, go to the mining areas to buy lands from Chiefs, families and individuals and then begin mining. I think this is the basic mistake that we are making as a country in terms of small and medium scale mining. Is it for the sake that lands are owned privately in Ghana that influences the decision that where government actually comes in is only at the licensing stage? I think it is totally wrong for Ghana to somewhat leave small and medium scale mining to individuals like we see in many of the instances. Why should a resource that belongs to all Ghanaians be given to individuals who are able to obtain license and buy concessions? Then in that case the gold and other natural resources belong to the individuals and families who own the land and not all citizens. But from my research, natural resources are owned by the entire citizens of the country no matter who owns the land. So just like the way citizens of Western Region are not given license to go and drill oil on their own, just as government has a stake and some control over the activities of large scale mining, I am of the view that government must control and own a higher stake in small and medium scale mining.

In everywhere across the world, individuals or private business persons are more concerned with their profit; in many cases outrageous profits than any other aspect of the venture. Same applies to small and medium scale miners; they are more concerned of making returns out of the cash they invested in buying the concessions and equipment. Due to this character by the miners, it is difficult for them in many cases to think of safeguarding the environment by practicing safe mining. Notwithstanding the fact that some legal miners practice safe mining, secondary research available to me indicates that a number of miners both legal and illegal engage in unsafe mining. It is not surprising to have many of these miners engaged in unsafe mining because safe mining also comes with a cost. A cost that many of the profit-minded miners will not want to bear. Thus when small and medium scale mining continue to be in the hands of individuals, the tendency that they will practice safe mining is minimal.

The second challenge that licensing coupled with government's inability to control small and medium scale mining in Ghana is the cause of Chinese galamseyers on our lands. In an interview on radio, I heard one legal miner claiming that the Chinese have brought a lot of technology into the mining sector which is making the business easy and lucrative. It is no news that many of the Chinese who come to conduct mining activities here in Ghana are brought by their Ghanaian counterparts or business partners. If a business man who is profit-minded feels that the introduction if Chinese miners will enable him or her make huge profit, there is no way they will not engage the Chinese. But since they have legal license to operate and have cash to buy cocoa farms, other concessions for mining, they have the courage to introduce Chinese miners since what permits them to mine is mostly to do with the license. So some Ghanaian business officials just go through the process of licensing, acquisition of land (sometimes with funding from Chinese business miners) and then get the Chinese to mine on the fields. There on the fields and to the authorities, they have a legal documentation to mine but are engaging the services of Chinese. With the licensing loop hole in our system, I do not see the end of Chinese miners coming to Ghana.

Let us turn the other side of the coin where government controls small and medium scale mining by not issuing licences to individuals. Government knows almost all mining areas in Ghana so it is not a difficult task for government to know areas that are appropriate for mining the resource and areas that are inappropriate. Also, government will be able to do safe mining since they have the country at heart and have expertise who knows that mining should not be done in rivers and near water bodies. Furthermore, government will be able to mobilize the huge profit coming from the mining sector and use it in developing the country. This will also curb the situation of Chinese galamseyers coming in because the activities are under the control of government. 
Government can then employ professional miners by decentralizing the process and making the Minerals Commission in all mining areas to employ, monitor and control all activities of mining in the various areas. With this, the tendency to solve many of the challenges coming along with galamsey will cease or minimize. But if Ghana continues to issue mining licenses to individuals, I am skeptical if we can control individual business persons who are looking at making profit than saving the environment. 
Moreover the huge profit made by individual business persons from resources that is said to belong to all citizens will now come into the State's coffers, thus can be used to develop the country as a whole.

Until then...

Well, may be there is a better way government can solve this but like I will always do, I will keep writing realities from my medulla oblongata.

The word ''Galamsey used in this article refers to illegal small and medium scale mining.

Thanks for reading!


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