According to Bernard Bediako Baidoo, the member of parliament-elect for Akwatia, mining operations in the constituency must be appropriately managed to benefit the state and its citizens rather than being entirely stopped.
Mr. Bediako made the case on Asempa FM’s Ekosii Sen show that imprisoning illegal miners without offering them alternatives merely makes the situation worse.
“When illegal miners are arrested, they often end up in jail. They want to work, but what they do is illegal. If we keep arresting them, our prisons will be full. Why not find a way for them to engage in responsible, legal mining instead?” he asked.
In addition, he demanded that Ghana’s system of punishment for illegal mining be reviewed because it is too severe for common people who cannot afford the fines.
He claims that although the law appears to target big mining businesses, small-scale miners are frequently the ones who are subjected to the worst punishment.
In addition to informing locals about the long-term goals of responsible mining, Mr. Bediako emphasized that the government has to be more involved in regulating mining in Akwatia.