Ghana miners accuse top officials of aiding illegal Chinese takeover in Kumasi row

The Ghana National Association of Small Scale Miners accused government officials and security personnel of confiscating their legitimate mining concessions. The organization claims these same authorities transferred the seized properties to unauthorized Chinese mining operations. Abdul Razak Alhasan spoke on behalf of the association during a press conference held on Wednesday in Kumasi, demanding that authorities return confiscated concessions and equipment. The group expressed frustration over their treatment despite cooperating with government efforts against unauthorized mining activities. Security operatives allegedly protect the Chinese miners who received the transferred concessions.

The association outlined several recommendations for addressing the challenges in the mining sector. Alhasan called for enhanced funding of the National Anti-illegal Mining Operation Secretariat to coordinate enforcement efforts more effectively. The group requested stronger safeguards for licensed miners and better training for security agencies regarding legitimate mining operations. They advocated for engaging unauthorized miners through formalization programs rather than relying solely on punitive measures. The association emphasized its continued commitment to supporting government restrictions on mining activities within protected forest reserves and buffer zones of water bodies.