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The National Democratic Congress (NDC) Member of Parliament (MP) for Tamale Central, Alhaji Inusah Fuseini has stated that the government is wrong to extend the ban on small-scale mining activities in the country by another three months.

“It is mind-boggling that government has extended the ban by another three months”, he bemoaned.

According to Alhaji Fuseini, the immediate past Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, initially it was a laudable idea the Akufo-Addo-led government placed a ban on illegal mining operations considering how the environment and water bodies had been destroyed but noted that the extension on the ban is not what had been agreed on.

“Now I cannot fathom the decision of the Akufo-Addo-led government whether the government is seeking to collapse small scale mining businesses in the country”, he quizzed.

Alhaji Fuseini also diffused claims that Parliament has not approved concessions for small-scale mining and that it was illegal for people to engage in such business.

Meanwhile, the leadership of the Ghana National Association of Small Scale Miners (GNASSM) has described the government as confused, taking into account the manner it is treating the association since its assumption of office.

Ashanti Regional chairman of GNASSM, Frank Osei is wondering why the government keeps shifting the goal post on the definite date it would lift the ban on mining activities in the country as part of measures in weeding out the galamsey menace.