The leadership of Ghana National Association of Small Scale Miners (GNASSM) has acknowledged members’ activities have a toll on the people’s health.

“We acknowledge that there are some illegal miners wash trailing into water bodies and we suggest trailing management and education to them”, Reverend Kusi, National President, GNASSM confessed.

The president confession comes at the time the nation has declared war on all illegal mining activities blaming operators for the current state of the environment.

“GNASSM condemns the ongoing irresponsible mining activities leading to destruction of forest reserves and water bodies” the president in a press conference told journalists in Kumasi.

The Association promised to join the fight to stop illegal mining and made various suggestions to the government as well.

“We suggest strongly that immediately the Navy, Army and Police conduct operations on all major rivers; River Pra, Ankobra, Tano, Bia Offin and River Volta to stop the ongoing legalities there”

“We suggest that the Minerals Commission should deal with large scale mining companies with prospecting licenses parceling and selling lands to foreigners for illegal mining”

The Association called for legal, safe and environmentally friendly practices among its members and to cooperate with the Minerals Commission, Environmental Protection Agency to monitor activities.