The Ashanti Regional Branch of the Ghana National Association of Small Scale Miners (GNASSM) is demanding an apology and retraction from former Central Regional Minister and MP for Cape Coast South, Kweku Ricketts-Hagan, for suggesting a 10-year ban on small-scale mining in the country.

Mr Hagan is of the view that illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey, was thriving in the country due to the issuance of small-scale licences. Even though small-scale mining is legal and reserved for Ghanaians, he observed that galamsey had become an offshoot of small-scale mining.

For him, it was time government placed an ultimatum of at least a decade on all forms of small-scale mining until the lands and water bodies destroyed by galamsey had recovered and a more comprehensive solution implemented to prevent further harm to the environment.

“This small-scale mining, is it something that we should encourage in the first place? ...Could we bring an end to this thing for some number of years?…Let’s do a ban for about 10 years,” he told Umaru Sanda Amadu, host of Citi FM’s The Big Issue, on Saturday May 27.

But this has angered GNASSM which said it found the legislator's comments “distasteful, disrespectful, backward-looking and unparliamentary”, given that small-scale mining is legitimate business.

“We hereby demand a retraction and apology from the honourable MP, if he has any regard for the laws of this country and the rights of work for its citizens,” the group said in a statement.

“The association is not oblivious of the reservations of the government and the populace to some of the ills of our activities and its attendant effects on the environment, which has resulted in a six-month moratorium on all forms of small-scale mining activities in Ghana.”

GNASSM said it was not to blame for the destruction of water bodies and the depletion of forest cover as has been miscommunicated to its disadvantage.

The group noted that it had demonstrated enough commitment to fighting “this canker” and had pledged its unflinching support for the fight by setting up anti-illegal mining task-forces across the regions to clamp down on defiant galamseyers who operate with the infamous "Chang Fang" engines on rivers.

The miners said among the many benefits of their operations are:

1. Close to 97 per cent of all gold wedding rings and ornaments are derived from us.

2. We pay taxes to the government. (This goes to confirm that we are not illegal).

3. We have downsized the rural-urban migration. (Youth in our catchment areas prefer to earn a living in their own hometowns).

4. We contribute to the stabilisation of the Ghana cedi against major foreign currencies. (Any wonder our currency has taken a nosedive ever since we were thrown out of business)?

5. Our corporate social responsibilities are testament to the development of our catchment areas. (More kids have been sent back to school, more communities have been connected to the national grid and many more now have access to potable drinking water).

6. Small-scale Mining contributes an average of US$7 million every month to the economy of Ghana.

“All the above are undisputed,” the statement added.

The group commended the role of the media in the crusade against illegal mining and its effects, but called on them to afford miners a fair hearing. It also called on government to allow them go back to work, saying: “We wish to re-echo our commitment to the fight against galamsey and to the government. We say three months is enough; allow us to go back to work.”