A renowned broadcast journalist, an Anti Galamsey Advocate and an occupational health and safety professional, Isaac Ochem is appealing to the government to as a matter of address issues and challenges affecting responsible small scale miners in the country.
According to Ochem , small scale miners he have had interactive conservations with complain bitterly about the intimidation and harassment they go through in the hands of the police , some national security operatives and some state security agencies at the mining sites in that they are always compelled to give out monies to some of these state security personnel whenever they visit their sites , a situation which has gone on for many years and very worrisome.
Research has revealed that over 4 million people benefit direct and indirect jobs from small scale mining activities in the country which has relieved the burden on successive governments on offering employment opportunities to the people of this country especially the youth.
According to Isaac Ochem, the Anti Galamsey Advocate, the small scale miners also revealed to him that the police worry them a lot when transporting fuel to their small scale mining sites as if they are transporting smuggling commodity.
Again, according to the renowned broadcast journalist, he disclosed that his checks from the various MMDA’s which hints that the small scale miners are taxed through their operational activities annually, they support the communities they operates within in most development projects, such provision of health centres, toilet facilities, community centres etc and at times support the chiefs to put up their palaces and other social amenities as their corporate social responsibilities.
The small scale miners according to Isaac Ochem further revealed that the authorities of the MMDA’s from time to time write to them to request for financial support during national ceremonies such as Independence Day, May Day and Farmers Day observations which they support in cash and all these are done to support the government.
They are by this appealing to the government through the Lands and Natural Resources minister; Hon Emmanuel Kofi Armah Buah to intervene to address the challenges the small scale miners go through in the hands of the state security agencies.
