Small-scale miners in the Ashanti Region have expressed readiness to assist the government in fighting the menace of illegal mining, popularly referred to as galamsey.

The Ghana National Association of Small Scale Miners intends to constitute a taskforce with the mandate to monitor and report activities of illegal miners to security personnel.

Civil society organizations and the media have in the past month joined the government to launch series of campaigns against illegal mining which is causing havoc to livelihoods and property.

The government has directed the suspension of all small scale mining activities in a move to streamline the licensing and operations of the sector. Over 500 excavators have so far been moved from various mining sites across the country.

Members of the Ghana National Association of Small Scale Miners in the Ashanti Region are agitating to be allowed to go back to work since they are licensed.

“The President, Nana Akufo-Addo, has stated categorically that his government is against illegal mining but we don’t understand why those of us who have license to operate have also been affected.

“We plead with the government to allow us go back to site to work and pay the loans we’ve taken from banks,” spokesperson of the group, Frank Osei, noted.

The group pledged to support the government to fight illegal miners whose unregulated activities have resulted in the destruction of water bodies, farmlands and forests.

“As part of our efforts to assist the government eradicate illegal mining, we have decided to form a taskforce to monitor and report illegal mining activities to the security agencies.”

The Association entreated all licensed small scale miners to abide by the mining laws in carrying out their activities.