The African Institute of Mining Professionals and Practitioners (AFRIPP) has announced that over one million Ghanaians are directly involved in artisanal and small scale Mining with 85% of the number involved in Galamsey.
According to AFRIPP, these 85% of the miners are unregulated with no license who are not monitored nor regulated by Minerals Commission, while only 15% are with permit
Speaking on HB Morning Show in an interview with Odehyieba Yaw Anokye, the Cheif Executive Officer (CEO) of African Institute of Mining Professionals and Practitioners (AFRIPP), who also double as the Head of Mining Department at the University of Mines and Technology (UMaT) Professor George Agyei indicated that these galamseyers are destroying our water bodies and the fight against the activities must be intensified.
According to Prof. Agyei, Minerals Commission does not give permit for miners to work below 500 meters to a water body or 100 meters to road, therefore all those who violate this distance requirements are illegal miners that government must intervene to stop them immediately.
He further revealed that report from the Minerals Commission suggest that between January and July this Year, gold produced by licensed small scale miners was over 1.2 million ounce amounting to approximately 2.3 million dollars.
He intimated that if the system is properly regulated, Ghana stands the chance to reap loads of benefits from the Sector
