STOP THESE ILLEGAL MINERS (JULY 27, 2010)

THE contribution of mining to our national development efforts is quite phenomenal, as it rakes in a substantial portion of the country's budget.
In spite of the environmental challenges confronting the country, mining continues to offer employment and jobs to a large segment of society at both the formal and informal levels.
It is, however, worrying that despite the potential of this sector to leap-frog our economy (if proper steps are taken to mainstream the industry into our economic agenda), the activities of illegal miners have rather cast a dark shadow on this sector.
The report of illegal mining activities that are endangering the River Ankobra and other water bodies, as reported in the Monday, July 26, 2010 issue of the DAILY GRAPHIC, is disturbing and very irritating, to say the least.
The report that foreigners are at the forefront of this attempt to destroy some of our important water bodies exposes the weakness in our state institutions tasked with the responsibility to regulate the mining sector.
As disturbing as this issue is, and especially coming immediately after media reports about hundreds of illegal miners trapped to death in recent galamsey activities in the Central and Ashanti regions some few weeks ago, one would expect that state institutions would wake up from their deep slumber to start cracking the whip.
The DAILY GRAPHIC would like to ask: How many more of our people should have to die from these illegal activities before the appropriate agencies begin to act?
Throughout the country, the activities of illegal miners can be seen. All our policy makers have done is pay lip service to issues concerning illegal miners.
From the Western, through the Central, Ashanti and Brong Ahafo regions and even the northern part of Ghana, the activities of these illegal miners have polluted water bodies and threatened the livelihood of residents of these localities.
The law on mining is very clear — that individuals and groups can obtain licences and undertake the business of small-scale mining subject to the rules of the game.
However, the inertia shown by the regulators to apply the laws has given these illegal miners a strong conviction to pursue their agenda and damn the consequences. It is no wonder, therefore, that even foreigners have noticed that this is a country where the law remains only in the books.
The DAILY GRAPHIC has, time without number, exposed the harmful activities of illegal miners on the environment. The only response has not gone beyond rhetoric.
It behoves our political leaders to de-politicise the issue of galamsey or illegal mining. The issue has more implications and deals with the livelihood and the very existence of every Ghanaian.
Action, rather than words, is what is needed. The DAILY GRAPHIC is watching with keen interest how the authorities are going to react to this situation.
If we are going to tackle serious national issues with the same lackadaisical attitude, the DAILY GRAPHIC will not hesitate to state that our rich resources will not stimulate growth.