The Ghana National Association of Small Scale Miners (GNASSM) has declared their intention to form a political party, indicating that the country’s two major political parties; New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) have both failed to front for their interest.
The move, according to the Acting General Secretary for the newly formed party, Mr Kwabena Owusu, is to fiercely contest the main political parties in the country.
In a statement issued and signed by members of a committee tasked to facilitate the registration of the party, it stated that there have been deliberate attempts by past and present governments to stifle our business with stringent policies, the recent being the ban on Small Scale Mining.
He said small scale miners in the country are unhappy about government’s decision to extend the ban on small-scale mining by three more months hence the decision to champion their cause.
The government through the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, John Peter Amewu, announced the extension of the of the temporary ban which seeks to allow water bodies and lands that have been destroyed as a result of mining to be regenerated.
Mr. Kwabena Owusu speaking to Otec news explained they could not fathom why the large scale mining companies are still operating when in fact they all engaged in the same trade.
“Government is taking us for granted and has allowed its decision to affect us negatively. It’s about time they hear us else we would be forced to form our own political party with our huge members because any political party that comes to power does not support us” he said.
“We have been motivated by the over 1 million active members scattered across 8 regions of the country and concluded on forming our own political party to champion our interest,” he added.
He hinted that they have already begun all the necessary legal requirements and hope to announce a name for the party in two weeks time.
ahotoronline.com|Ghana
