<<Print>>

PPP Communicator, Charles Owusu has called on government to legalize illegal mining operations in the country, popularly known as "galamsey".

According to Charles Owusu, registering the illegal miners is the best way to check their activities and ensure that they don't encroach upon the rights of other people within the mining sector.

He said on Peace FM's Kokrokoo that considering the staggering number of Ghanaians who are involved in galamsey, there is no other way to enable the miners operate responsibly.

Charles Owusu explained that several people have found solace in the illegal mining trade because their inability to make ends meet due to the high rate of unemployment in the nation.

He continued that they would therefore do anything good or bad to ensure that the galamsey business thrives because that's an avenue for them to earn a living.

To him, the intimidating tactics and the use of force by government to clamp down on the illegal mining operations will only worsen the situation because the "galamsey operators don’t fear guns...So, if you decide to use force; the person has already gone to the innernost core of the earth – a place where when you’re going, you make up your mind that it’s two things: I either die or gain – and he’s done that for about 5 to 6 years; such a person doesn’t fear intimidation.”

He believes that their activities should rather be legalized and the miners educated on how best to operate in the country.

Also addressing the issue on Kokrokoo were Atik Mohammed, the General Secretary of the People's National Convention (PNC) and the NPP Member of Parliament for Ablekuma West, Mrs. Ursula Owusu Ekuful.

They both expressed various concerns about the threats that the illegal mining operations pose to residents within the mining community.

They therefore asked the government to find ways to combat the intrusion of the illegal miners across the country.

Chief Biney, a member of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) also was worried about the invasion of the Chinese miners who have taken over the nation's small-scale mining sectors.

According to him, the Chinese miners also cause serious havoc to the mining communities.

He wants the government to be on the lookout for the Chinese illegal miners and put a check on them.