Wassa Akropong (W/R), June 20, GNA - Mr. Eric Coffie Rivers, General-Secretary of the Ghana National Association of Small-Scale Miners, at the weekend, proposed the establishment of an independent commission on small-scale mining.

Making the call in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) at Wassa-Akropong, he said the commission would look into concerns of communities affected by small-scale mining and suggest solutions to them to prevent conflicts. Mr Rivers said the commission could be tasked to foster peaceful co-existence among mining companies and communities in the interest of unity, peace, security and development. He said lack of business capital and technological training and encroachment on concessions by "galamsey" operators are some of the major problems facing small-scale mining.

Mr Rivers said these problems required urgent solutions and therefore, urged the government, the Ministry of Mines, the Minerals Commission, the Parliamentary Select Committee on Mines and all stakeholders to take pragmatic steps to problems facing small-scale miners.