The National Concerned Association of Small-Scale Miners, Ghana (NCASMG) has strongly condemned the recent burning of excavators by the Forestry Commission, describing the practice as illegal, ineffective, and harmful to both livelihoods and the national economy.

The Association argues that the government’s continuous reliance on this controversial approach has done little to address the root causes of illegal mining.

Instead, it has exacerbated economic hardship by destroying valuable mining equipment, resulting in job losses and further destabilising the livelihoods of thousands of small-scale miners.

In a statement signed by its President, Michael Kwadwo Peprah, NCASMG expressed deep frustration with what it described as a “lazy approach” to combating illegal mining.

“While we acknowledge the urgent need to combat illegal mining, the burning of excavators is not a sustainable or effective solution.

Many of these machines, even if used in unauthorised operations, could have been confiscated and repurposed for land reclamation projects,” the statement read.

The Association stressed that rather than addressing the crisis, the destruction of excavators was worsening Ghana’s economic situation because thousands of workers depended on small-scale mining for their survival, and the loss of critical equipment threatened their ability to earn a living.

They further accused the Bekwai Forestry District Manager, Ernest Adofo, of leading the burning of excavators in the Manso area while allegedly allowing certain miners to operate before the 2024 general elections.

The group claimed that some illegal mining operations were overlooked, raising concerns about corruption and selective enforcement of the law.

It called for an immediate investigation into the unjustified action of the Forestry Commission, alleging selective enforcement and political bias in its operations.

“There are instances where government officials have granted mining permits to some individuals, yet their machines are being destroyed without due process. Meanwhile, in other areas where miners operate without the necessary documentation, their activities remain unchecked,” the statement noted.

The Association called on the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources and all relevant authorities to immediately halt the burning of excavators, conduct a full audit and investigation into the Forestry Commission’s operations and sanction any official found culpable.

They must also ensure fairness and transparency in enforcement while prioritising land reclamation efforts instead of destroying equipment which could be used for environmental restoration projects.

The Association argued that while small-scale miners, many of whom are Ghanaian citizens, were being targeted, large-scale mining concessions owned by politically connected individuals and foreign entities remained untouched despite the environmental impact of their operations.

The government cannot continue to protect foreign-owned mining companies while destroying the livelihood operations of Ghanaians.

“If illegal mining is to be tackled effectively, it must be done without favouritism or discrimination of its own people,” the statement concluded.