All validated small scale mining companies and groups cleared to begin mining operations in the country have been given up to Friday, March 29, 2019 to have insurance policy.

Again, they are required to have tax identification number (TIN) and secure social security for all their employees by the set date.

The directive from government forms part of the requirements for the newly validated small scale mining companies and groups who have since Monday, December 17 been given the green light to mine.

A government document sighted by 3News also declared as null and void, all mining licences issued on or after July 1, 2016.

It thus asked the affected entities to “contact the Inter Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining from 14th January, 2019 for further directive”.

Meanwhile the government has announced only 15 of the over 300 companies and groups cleared to begin responsible mining can begin their operations.

According to the government of the more than the 332 smallscale mining companies and groups validated only the 15 ave satisfied the minimum requirement to begin their mining operations from thei respective sites.

A total of 332 who have secured a “conditional qualification” are to renew or submit their EPA permits and or operating permits by January 17, 2019 before they can be cleared to begin their mining operations.

Per the document, the number of months lost for the mining licences and environmental permits which were valid before the ban will be credited to these companies.

According to the document, the operating permit which was paid for in 2017 will be credited to them for the year 2019.

Government last week announced that the more than 3,000 validated small-scale miners have been cleared to begin operations today when the ban on small scale mining is lifted after almost two years.

Gov’t lifts ban on small-scale mining
Ahead of the lifting of the ban, a new policy framework for regularizing and reforming small scale mining activities in the country was unveiled by the government Friday.

The framework was the result of the work of the Inter-Ministerial Committee that was established to supervise the ban and the transition to the new legal and well-regulated mining regime. The framework has since received cabinet approval.

The ban on small scale mining was imposed in March 2017 by the Akufo-Addo government upon the realization that that small scale mining was being used as a cover for irresponsible mining in many parts of the country.

Govt ‘terrorist posture’ incurs the wrath of small scale miners
The activities of these illegal, irresponsible miners caused destruction to large tracts of farms, water bodies and large forest vegetation.