Illegal clay miners in the Shama enclave of the Western Region have been given an ultimatum to cease their operations or face sanctions from the government, Deputy  Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Mr George Mireku Duker,  has warned.

He stressed: “The District Security Committee (DISEC) has been directed to clamp down on illegal clay mining and take  steps to regularise their operations to ensure sanity and also save the environment in Shama areas.This cannot continue.”

Mr Duker gave the directives in an interview with journalists recently, after he had toured a   degraded illegal clay mining site at Old Daboase Junction,  in the Shama District of the Western Region.

The visit revealed large tracts of devastated lands dotted with deep ponds.

The  Deputy Minister declared   : “The ministry will collaborate with the Minstry of Trade and Industry and together  we find ways of dealing with the ceramic  companies because the clay  miners  are  mining illegally and the  companies  are condoning and conniving with illegal  miners. They are stopping today.”

Although, he declined  to give details  and timelines   on  the ultimatum, Mr Duker  maintained that  until there was order in the clay mining industry, the directive to Shama Assembly was still binding.

He said:“It’s unfortunate; if you want to mine, follow the protocols and mine according to the dictates   of the law. I have given some specific assigments to DISEC which they will soon roll  out  but as for the details  I can’t disclose them.”

The Deputy Minister added :“DISEC is to take control and make sure they regulate their activities. those who want to mine must secure licences  before they  do so.”

On the degraded clay mine site at Old  Daboase junction, he disclosed that somebody got the site and was mining  illegally.

One critical issue at the sites, he noted,  was reclamation of land after mining and indicated  government’s desire to ensure that it was done in accordance with the law.

Mr  Duker told the journalists that companies which benefitted from the clay would collaborate with the clay mining association to reclaim all degraed sites at Shama.

“If you want to mine, you must acquire the necessary licences and follow all the protocols in accordance with  the dictates of the law. We need all hands on the deck and ensure that mining becomes an enviable business in this country.” he stated.

Reacting to allegations that the Shama Assembly had taken money from the clay miners for reclamation, he said, “we’ll investigate  it, because they   are  not licensed and so you can’t take something from them.”

Meanwhile, at a meeting with  small scale  miners, he revealed that government records showed  that all mining operators at Shama had no licences, and, therefore,  engaged   in illegalities.

The Deputy Minister of mining told the meeting that the United States in 2015 bagged about $1.4billion and 1.9 billion in 2019 respectively from the clay industy, noting that same could not be said about Ghana’s industry.

He regretted that illegal Ghanaian clay  miners were condoning with foreign tile  makers and depriving  Ghana of getting benefits  from the natural gifts because of selfish  interests.

From Clement Adzei Boye, Old Daboase Junction