The President of the Concerned Small-Scale Miners Association of Ghana, Michael Kojo Peprah has alleged that some Chinese miners have been allowed to mine in forest reserves while excavators of miners with licenses have been seized and burnt.

According to Michael, this happening clearly shows that the country is not ready to fight illegal mining as expected.

The President of the Association, speaking to Happy FM’s Don Prah on the ‘Epa Hoa Daben’ political talk show revealed: “As I speak to you go to the forest reserves, Chinese persons are in there working and these people are being protected by the military while some people’s excavators are being burnt. All these things are going on and the minister couldn’t go there and then you go and burn someone’s excavator in his house. One of the companies working there is known as Heritage Imperial”.

When questioned on the credibility of his allegations, he emphatically stated: “I am speaking on authority that as I am speaking to you the Chinese people are working in the forest reserve under military protection”.

Michael shared that he found it difficult to comprehend why Government will ban all mining activities in the forest reserves and yet allow Chinese miners to mine in these forests. “Are we willing to fight galamsey or there are some people we are just targeting?”, Michael questioned.

In April this year, the Minister of Lands and Natural Directive issued the directive to cease all reconnaissance and prospecting activities in the forest reserves after a recent call by all stakeholders for government to rigidly apply sanctions on all those who break the law on small scale mining.