Accra:Environmental journalist Erastus Asare Donkor has criticized comments made by Sammy Gyamfi, CEO of the Ghana Gold Board, regarding the operation of small-scale miners without licenses under certain conditions.
According to Ghana Web, Donkor responded sharply to Gyamfi's assertion that small-scale miners can work without a license as long as they avoid forest reserves, water bodies, and roadsides. Donkor stated that this position is a significant error, emphasizing that mining without a license is a criminal offense punishable by law, as per the Minerals and Mining Act, 2006 (Act 703). He highlighted that the law clearly mandates a mineral right and a license granted by the Minister for Mines for any mining activity in Ghana, regardless of land ownership, and that suggesting otherwise is both dangerous and unlawful.
Donkor, known for his extensive reporting on illegal mining impacts, also questioned the effectiveness of the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) in addressing these issues. His comments follow the Minority Caucus in Parliament's demand for Gyamfi's resignation and a call for the government to declare a state of emergency in areas heavily affected by illegal mining, describing Gyamfi's comments as reckless and a tacit endorsement of such activities.