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The Okyenhene, Osagyefo Amoatia Ofori Panin says issue about small scale mining and illegal mining popularly known as ‘Galamsey’ must be addressed properly by government.

He was emphatic that both operations are illegal; hence government’s decision to lift a ban on small scale mining must be reviewed.

“I see no difference between small scale mining and galamsey,” His Royal Majesty said whiles delivering a keynote speech at the 22nd GJA awards in Accra.

Lands and Natural resources Minister, John Peter Amewu hinted that government will lift the ban on small-scale mining by the end of January 2018.

In October this year, the Minister during an inspection of some lands across the country reclaimed following galamsey activities disclosed that the ban has been extended for another three months.

The announcement triggered various protests by the Small-scale miners association.

But the minister later in an interview assured that the ban will be lifted to enable the miners work.

“We expect that at the end of January, ongoing auditing processes will be completed, and cabinet will be requested to approve the lifting of the ban. Once the level of cleanliness of the water bodies is checked, a good number of people have been trained and licenses are validated, the ban will be lifted.”

The intended upliftment of the ban, according to Osagyefo Amoatia Ofori Panin, is ‘worrying’ and an attempt to reintroduce galamsey to the system which he has kicked against over the year.

Applauding the Nana-Addo led government for fighting against illegal mining; he warned that the decision to uplift the ban on small-scale mining could rather worsen the situation.

Osagyefo Amoatia Ofori Panin also said he doesn’t want his toil together with award winning broadcast journalist, Kwami Sefa Kayi and other members of the media go in vain in the fight against galamsey.

“No one has campaigned against galamsey than me and Kwami Sefa Kayi of Peace FM. So we are worried about government decision to lift the ban on small scale mining....I don’t see any difference in both operations,” he noted.