Small-scale miners in Obuasi staged a demonstration on Tuesday to express their concerns over what they described as the government’s failure to allocate land for them to undertake their mining activities.
The miners said they have been left without adequate areas to work despite their dependence on small-scale mining as a source of livelihood.
According to the demonstrators, the government has not been fair to them in the allocation of mining land, leaving many of them struggling to find legitimate areas where they can operate.
The demonstration brought renewed attention to the longstanding concerns surrounding access to land for small-scale mining in the Obuasi area.
The miners are calling on the government to take their concerns seriously and provide designated areas where they can undertake their activities within the appropriate legal framework.
They argue that providing suitable land would give them an opportunity to work while also allowing their activities to be better regulated.
The demonstration, however, was followed by an incident involving journalists who were covering the event.
Some journalists who were reporting on the demonstration were reportedly attacked.
The miners are seeking a resolution to their concerns over access to mining land, while journalists require a safe environment to carry out their work without fear or intimidation.
A lasting solution to the concerns surrounding small-scale mining in Obuasi will require engagement between the government, mining stakeholders, local authorities, traditional leaders, the miners and affected communities.