By a correspondent.
Nana Owusu Ababio III, Chief of Akataniase in the Amansie West district in the Ashanti region has stressed the need for the government to restructure the activities of the goldmining industry to help end the alleged military brutalities at sites.
The chief suggested that to avoid the alleged military brutalities at the mining sites government needs to involve chiefs and all stakeholders associated with lands isssue with the emergency of surface mining.
He cited about what is prevailing in the sand winning sector where the laws have been made to cover the stakeholders and sand winning operators.
He said operations regarding to sand winning are solid and accident free because the laws have been restructured to the extent that all stakeholders in lands issue are involved in the sand winning
The chief’s suggestion emerged amidst the growing concerns about the treatment of residents by soldiers enforcing mining regulations in the area.
The biggest challenge we are faced with is how soldiers have been tormenting us, Nana Owusu Ababio III alleged.
Adding that sometimes they (Soldiers) scare and chase people to the extent that these innocent people fall and sustain various degree of injuries.
To address these challenges and difficulties faced by the residents the chief proposed a new approach to to the mining sector
According to him mining activities should be arranged just like the sand winning, where chiefs, landowners and revenue collectors are involved in order for the business is done according to the laws and done properly and attractive.
He emphasized that this structured approach would also pave the way for youth employment within the mining communities.
Nana Owusu Ababio III further asserted that involving traditional leaders in the mining policy would lead to a more effective and sustainable approach in the industry.
.If the government had considered the chiefs in its arrangements in the mining policy it would make things much easier, he stated.
In his view if good policies are put in place by involving chiefs, he been a chief of Akataniase for instance will not sit down and allow illegalities to exist.
We the chiefs are the custodians of the lands and we know the people who live in the communities and who can do things better when we talk about discipline on work abilities.
The chief’s sentiments were echoed by some residents of Amansie, who expressed their strong support for the chief’s proposal.
We side with the chief the residents stated stressing that government should put things in place so that the mining structures can be run like that of the sand winning where all stakeholders have been involved in its extraction.
The residents also voiced concerns about the dangers associated with the current mining enforcement practices.
It is unfortunate that most people are chased out and accidentally fall into pits and die, one resident Kofi Prah lamented.
The call from Nana Owusu Ababio III and the residents of Amansie highlights the need for a more inclusive and sustainable approach to mining to help remove all the bottlenecks that associated with the industry
