The Secretary of the Ghana National Association of Small-Scale Miners (GNASSM) in the Prestea Huni Valley Municipality, Alhaji Nuhu Mohammed Mustapha, has called on the management of Sankofa Gold Mines to reconsider the dismissal of local workers, warning that the association may withdraw its services if the concerns of small-scale miners continue to be ignored.
Speaking in an interview, Alhaji Mustapha said the recent developments at the mining site, particularly the termination of workers following a change of government, are becoming a disturbing pattern.
“This has been a continuous incident each time there is a change of government because the workers who were sacked from Sankofa Gold Mines are industrialists and must be respected and guided by the laws of small-scale mining,” he lamented.
According to him, small-scale miners remain a critical part of the mining ecosystem in Prestea Huni Valley, providing operational support for almost all mining companies in the enclave.
“The small-scale miners provide working support for all mining companies in the community, yet the companies do not recognise their contributions,” he said.
He added that some companies operating in the area lack the proper licensing to function as small-scale mining entities but continue to operate because of government-brokered agreements.
Despite this, he noted that Sankofa Gold Mines is not engaged in standard small-scale mining, but rather focused mainly on tailings extraction.
“The company is only doing tailings and not small-scale mining. We are ready to support their concession with tailings facilities to help boost productivity, but they must respect the local industry,” he stressed.
Alhaji Mustapha further criticised the company for failing to engage local indigenes adequately, saying the current workforce does not even reach 10 percent locals.
“Providing less than 10% workforce for local people is very bad. The local indigenes are key stakeholders and must matter in this process,” he argued.
He described the treatment of small-scale miners under the new arrangement as worrying and called on aggrieved workers to take peaceful action.
“I advise the aggrieved workers to unite and present a petition to Nana Ntabra Prah, the Paramount Chief of Prestea Huni Valley, for peaceful co-existence,” he urged.
The GNASSM secretary also raised concerns about the government’s plans to establish tribunal courts in mining communities, describing the move as misplaced.
“The government needs to provide artisanal miners with logistics that can shape their future, not take away their source of income,” he warned.
He emphasised that the youth in mining communities rely heavily on small-scale mining for their livelihoods and must be protected.
“The youth are the pillars of our future generations and yet unborn,” he added.
Alhaji Mustapha called for urgent dialogue between small-scale miners, traditional authorities, government, and companies operating in the district to prevent further tensions and ensure sustainable mining operations.
