The Responsible Small-scale Miners Association of Ghana has officially notified the Ghana Police Service of its plans to hold a protest on Friday, October 11, 2024. The demonstration is in response to Organised Labour’s industrial action, which calls for a ban on small-scale mining as part of efforts to combat illegal mining, commonly known as galamsey.
While the association acknowledges the environmental damage caused by some illegal miners, it argues that Organised Labour’s strike is politically motivated and not a viable solution to the issue.
In an interview with Citi News on Tuesday, October 8, the General Secretary of the Responsible Small Scale Miners Association, Mark Conduah, expressed the group’s opposition to any move by Organised Labour to shut down their legal mining operations, which serve as a source of livelihood.
“We have communicated our concerns to Organised Labour, but they are not willing to listen to us. So we will come out in full force to protest against their actions. They are not more Ghanaian than we are, and they cannot take away our livelihoods,” Conduah stated.
He added, “We will demonstrate to show that while they earn their living from government payrolls, we also deserve the right to mine responsibly and make a decent living from it.”
The protest is set to take place in Accra, with a massive turnout expected from the association’s members to oppose Organised Labour’s stance on small-scale mining.