According
to the
Ghana Mineworkers Union (GMWU), the spate of illegal miners taking over
concessions is a scare to the investor community.
General-Secretary of the Union, Prince William
Ankrah describes as “shameful and barbaric” the uncontrollable levels of the
galamsey onslaught on the concessions of legally registered businesses.
“Mining companies such as AngloGold Ashanti,
Obuasi Mine witnessed a gruesome attack by illegal small scale miners on its
concession, resulting in the death of a top management staff of the company.
Again, Owere Mines in Konongo was also not spared in this nefarious enterprise
as these hoodlums invaded and took control of the Mine's concession for weeks,
while owners and our members watched helplessly,” he observed.
The gradual take-over of the Obuasi mine by the
illegal operators forced AngloGold Ashanti to file a suit against the
Government of Ghana at the International Court of Arbitration, seeking
protection on its concession.
Prince
Ankrah describes the development as unfortunate, emphasizing that “Obuasi is a major
asset to our nation and for that matter we all need to be careful so that we
don’t create any scare that will allow that mine to remain dead even though
it’s a rich resource”.
The
Anglogold Ashanti, Obuasi Mine, currently undergoing operational reforms, is said
to viable, hence the need for all stakeholders to be on board for its
resuscitation.
The
Minerals Commission recently constituted a District
Mining Committee at Obuasi to oversee the peaceful exit of the unlicensed
miners from AGA concession to the demarcated areas within the lease area
surrendered by the company.
The
move is expected to forestall what interest groups have described as a
near-crisis situation at Obuasi.
Chairman
of the Committee, Engineer Kwaku Frimpong Kuma, was part of a team that set up
underground operations about 20years ago within the area of Anglogold’s concession
under contest.
He is confident the committee’s work will yield
the requisite results to the satisfaction of both interest parties.
“At this stage, it’s going to be a win-win situation…it
will be solved to the joy of both parties and then Obuasi will come back to
life,” he stated.
Prince
William Ankrah is also hopeful the new arrangements will be workable to help
bring a closure to the menace of illegal miners taking over the concession of
Anglogold Ashanti.
“Let’s
hope that it will yield the needed results…let’s all be confident that it will
work out,” he said. “It’s evident that Obuasi can bounce back and remain very
vibrant for the economy, so that’s what we want to see and we pray that really
materialize”.
The
Ghana Mineworkers Union, has however, stated that it will not hesitate to
withdraw labour services to the industry all over the country if the menace of
illegal mining and the threat to the safety and security of
members
is left unchecked.
“Considering the pace and nature of the
destruction by illegal small scale mining and its consequences on the
environment, it would be extremely difficult to bequeath anything meaningful to
generations yet unborn if we continue on this indiscriminate tangent with impunity,”
said Prince Ankrah.
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