Small-scale miners in Manso Kaniago in the Amansie South District have staged a protest, accusing alleged imposters posing as security operatives of extorting money and harassing workers at mining sites.
The miners, many of whom wore red armbands during the protest, claimed the individuals operate under the guise of the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS), demanding payments while pretending to enforce government anti-galamsey measures.
According to the protesters, the suspected imposters frequently move between mining sites, seizing equipment and demanding large sums of money. They said the situation has created fear and uncertainty among licensed operators, who insist they are not the target of the government’s crackdown on illegal mining.
“We know NAIMOS is the official taskforce set up by the government to tackle illegal mining, and they do not extort money,” some miners told Adom News. “But recently, some men came to seize our equipment and demanded money. Our checks show they are not from NAIMOS but imposters damaging the government’s reputation.”
The miners said they are unsure whether any additional taskforces have been deployed, as the alleged operatives continue to harass them. They warned that failure by authorities to act could lead to confrontations.
A site manager, Abdulai Chipser, alleged that the group visits mining concessions at least twice a week, sometimes detaining workers and confiscating equipment.
“Just recently, they came to my site, arrested two of my workers and took away parts of our equipment, demanding GH¢200,000 before releasing them. The last time, they took GH¢50,000,” he said.
Mr Chipser also accused a district chief executive from another area of leading groups to the sites to demand money, a claim the BBC has not independently verified. He further alleged that the official had justified the actions as a means of enriching himself before leaving office.
The miners reiterated their support for the government’s efforts to combat illegal mining but urged authorities to clamp down on individuals exploiting the exercise for personal gain.
They have called on President John Dramani Mahama and the leadership of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to intervene and ensure the safety of miners and their operations.
Source: www.kumasimail.com
