PRESS RELEASE.

PRESTEA COMMUNICATORS FOR DEVELOPMENT (PCD) DEMAND IMMEDIATE LIFTING OF BAN ON ARTISINAL (GALAMSEY) AND SMALL SCALE MINING.

The handling of mining issues in Ghana after President Akuffo Addo ascended to the throne of Kwame Nkrumah’s Ghana is an issue that needs a lot deliberations. Findings by Prestea Communicators for Development, a civil society group based in Prestea shows the NPP administration is indulging in some kind of dishonest dealings with the good people of Ghana, especially in eight regions of this country (except greater Accra and Volta) where mining of gold takes place in various forms.

While the government turns blind eye to large scale companies, irrespective of how they have evidently mutilated our environment and have caused several environmental diseases in mining areas in this country, with nothing to write home about in their operational areas, it seems, the government has used its whole army into harassing local artisanal miners who have made their living since 1800s. The latest and more embarrassing is the proposal by Hon. Joe Osei Owusu, the 1st Deputy Speaker of parliament, suggesting, “shoot and kill of galamseyers”, a suggestion that can “harm the security of this country”. Prestea Communicators for Development finds such comments “dishonourable”.

It is very important, we delve into PDC Manifesto Watch of the NPP 2016, and here is what the NPP had to say about SMALL SCALE MINING (PAGE 94).
“It is NPP’s view that the ARTISANAL, small-scale mining sub-sector needs restructuring so that its activities can take place within guidelines set up under the appropriate regulations. This will enable small scale miners to WORK AND EARN THEIR LIVELIHOODS IN A REGULATED, secure, and lawful environment. By this process, the environment, especially our water bodies, can be protected and degraded land can be reclaimed through tree-planting and reforestation.( PAGE 94 New Patriotic Party (NPP) • Manifesto for Election 2016 )”
MINING COMPANIES (PAGE 94)
“Facilitating the revival of Anglogold Ashanti’s Obuasi mines and OTHER mines as part of an overall strategy of protecting the jobs and livelihoods of mining communities (PAGE 93 New Patriotic Party (NPP) • Manifesto for Election 2016)”



Transcript From Nana Akuffo Addo Campaign 2016 (Voice Available)
“The NDC are peddling that I (Nana Akuffo Addo), who is looking forward to create jobs for the youth, I will come and ban galamsey. There is No iota of truth in such allegations. It is not true today, it will not be true tomorrow” Nana Addo Dankwa Akuffo Addo, 2016.

Since this government came to power, Ghanaians were taken by surprise, that BAN on artisanal mining, otherwise known as galamsey as well as licensed local small scale mining has all been affected. All the newspapers carried it as the hash-tag for several months, thinking they were serving the country any better. Today, such actions has brought untold hardships on vast majority of Ghanaians.

Again, the government, who seem not able to curb arm robbery and rampants road death going on in this country, has set up operation vanguard, with Millitary men harassing Ghanaians. Galamseyers were told government is going to create jobs for them, and up till there is no job anywhere!

Today, the Anglogold Ashanti’s condition has not gotten any better as promised. The only state gold mining company, Prestea Sankofa Gold is “bankrupt ´and government seem unconcern, and on top of it, Goldfields Ghana is laying off over 1,700 people, and here again, the President seem quiet!

What the government is maximising is asking military to shoot and kill galamseyers, and Hon. Joe Osei Owusu, who is a member of the NPP, who gave such mainifesto promise, surely, must be ashamed of his comments.

We call on
1.      The President to reconsider his current view on artisanal and small scale mining, taking into accounts what he said (recorded) on campaign grounds before he was given opportunity to lead this country. The truth is, if the President had been honest right from the start, Ghanaians may not have given the seat to him. He must not take Ghanains for granted.

2.      The NPP party leadership, the Chairman and National Executive Council (NEC) to come out clear on matters related to mining and small scale mining. It should be clear where they want to lead this country into on mining matters.
It is important to note that, eight out of the ten regions in Ghana do artisanal and small scale mining in one way or the other, and if immediate measures are not taken it will disturb Ghanaians.

Prestea Communicators for Development is calling on government to as a matter of urgency lift the ban on all forms of small scale mining and institute a modus operandi that will lead to win-win situation for both the miners and the country.

SIGNED.
COMRADE FRANCIS ESHUN
PRESIDENT
0203961833

JAMES SAMUEL ACKERSON
VICE PRESIDENT
0241163129

PHILIP GYAN (ATISCO)
SECRETARY
0573698278

JONAS KYEREMANTENG (HOLY)
ORGANISER
0244777822

14/3/2018

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Image
South African anti-apartheid campaigner Winnie Mandela has died aged 81, her personal assistant says. Winnie Madikizela Mandela was the former wife of South Africa's first black president, Nelson Mandela. The couple - famously pictured hand-in-hand as Mr Mandela walked free from prison after 27 years - were a symbol of the anti-apartheid struggle for nearly three decades. However, in later years her reputation became tainted legally and politically. Family spokesman Victor Dlamini said in a statement: "She died after a long illness, for which she had been in and out of hospital since the start of the year. "She succumbed peacefully in the early hours of Monday afternoon surrounded by her family and loved ones." Retired archbishop and Nobel laureate Desmond Tutu praised her as a "defining symbol of the struggle against apartheid", AFP reported. "Her courageous defiance was deeply inspirational to me, and to generations of activis...
Read more

EID DAY IN PRESTEA: HIS EXCELLENCY ALHAJI DR. BAWUMIA FULFILS HIS PROMISE, DELIVERS ONE THOUSAND BAGS OF CEMENT TO PRESTEA CENTRAL MOSQUE

Image
The Municipal Chief Executive of Prestea Huni-Valley, Hon. Mozart K. Owuh today, presented a cheque of GHc 30,000 (thirty thousand cedis) being the cost of one-thousand bags of cement, which the Vice President of the Republic of Ghana, Dr. Bawumia personally promised Prestea Central Mosque as his contribution towards the building of the second phase of the two storey Mosque in Prestea on 27/05/2018 when he paid them special visit as part of his Nationwide Ramadan Tour. Presented the cheque, the MCE, who represented the MP, Hon. Lawyer Mrs. Barbara Oteng-Gyasi urged the Moslem community to keep supporting the Nana Addo Dankwa Akuffo Addo’s government, since it has the welfare of Islam at heart. He stated, the Zongo Development Fund, which is first in history of this country demonstrate the commitment by the government to seeing welfare of Moslems and Zongos. He further wished them happy Eid-Ul-Mubarak. # Filed by Prestea Communicators for Development (PCD). 15/06/2018.
Read more
Image
LIFTING OF BAN ON SMALL SCALE MINING: US EMBASSY JOINS THE CONVERSATION, MEETS SMALL SCALE MINERS AND STAKEHOLDERS IN PRESTEA. The struggle by the Small Scale Mining Association in Ghana, and stake holders as well as key stakeholders in mining communities in Ghana keeps receiving energy, and the latest is the joining of   foreign governments embassies expressing deep concern over   matters arising since the President Akuffo Addo led administration placed ban enbloc on all forms of local small scale mining and artisanal mining (galamsey). The US Embassy in Ghana today had a meeting with Small Scale Miners in Prestea today, as part of their responsibilities to seeing a successful Ghana. The group were led to Nana Nteboah Prah IV, the divisional chief of Prestea –Heman traditional area before they came to meet the Small Scale Miners. The key leaders include Morris Jackson, Economic Department, US Embassy- Ghana; Issaih Tuolienuo, Environmental Department, US Embassy...
Read more