The Responsible Small-Scale Miners Association of Ghana has announced plans to hold a protest in Accra on Friday, October 11, 2024.
The demonstration, communicated to the Ghana Police Service, is in response to Organised Labour’s ongoing industrial action calling for a ban on small-scale mining as part of the fight against illegal mining, commonly known as galamsey.
The miners argue that while illegal mining has caused environmental damage, banning all small-scale mining activities is not a solution to the problem.
Mark Conduah, General Secretary of the Responsible Small-Scale Miners Association, expressed the group’s discontent in an interview on Tuesday, October 8.
“We have also communicated our minds to Organised Labour, and they are not willing to listen to us,” he said.
Conduah highlighted that the association’s members are legitimate miners who follow regulations, adding that their livelihoods are being unfairly targeted by Organised Labour.
“They are not more Ghanaians than us, so they cannot take away our livelihoods.”
Conduah emphasized that the protest will be a large-scale demonstration, urging members to come out in their numbers.
“If they are working and earning their livelihoods from the government payrolls, we also deserve to mine responsibly and earn a decent living,” he remarked.
The protest, which will take place in Accra, is expected to draw significant attention as the miners seek to push back against what they view as politically motivated actions by Organised Labour.
