Accra, (Greater Accra) 12 Jan. '99,

Small scale miners yesterday appealed to the government to grant them concessions in mining areas.

At a meeting of the Federation of Small Scale Miners in Accra, the miners said granting of such concessions, apart from offering employment to thousands of youth, will also minimise tension and conflict between multi-national mining companies and communities. The federation embraces small scale operators in the gold, diamond, salt, sand and stone winning sectors. Alhaji Amadu Baba, National Organiser of the Small Scale Gold Miners, attributed the spate of rural urban drift, prostitution, drug addiction and crime wave to the problem of unemployment in the mining and other sectors. He suggested that part of the concession of large scale mining firms be allocated to small scale miners to avoid their encroachment on large concessions. Alhaji Baba said multi-national firms such as Tarkwa Goldfields, Bogoso Goldfields and others which allocated part of their concessions to small- scale miners in their areas of operation enjoy peace and urged others to emulate them. Mr Asare Boateng, Chairman of the Diamond Winners Association, expressed appreciation to the government for granting concessions, though inadequate, to diamond winners in the Birim District. He appealed to the government to increase it and urged small scale mining firms to adopt environmentally friendly approach in their operations and to reclaim degraded lands for future generations. Gri