Some small scale miners in the Ashanti region have threatened to take legal action against the government for burning their excavators.
They believe the government erred in directing the military to destroy equipment belonging to private businesses.
The Former Ashanti Region secretary of the miners, Philip Bawa, said were, therefore, preparing to seek legal redress.
“We are in preparation to institute an action for an interpretation of the constitution at the highest court of the land to find out if a Minister has the right to issue a directive for a private person’s equipment to be destroyed without just cause,” he said, as quoted by Myjoyonline.
The government of Ghana has renewed its efforts to clamp down on illegal mining, with the military directed to destroy all excavators on site.
Two weeks ago, the taskforce against illegal mining activities set ablaze 15 excavators in the Central Region.
Recently, eight more excavators, a dozer, and dozens of water pumping machines were burned at the mining site at Akyem Akropong in Atewa West District.
The taskforce has since launched phase four of the clamping down of illegal mining after storming the River Ankobrah.
The small scale miners, however, believe it is unfair to destroy equipment belonging to miners who are duly licensed to operate.
“Why our chairman in Assin Fosu who is mining legally on his concession, they have destroyed four excavators on his land including other equipment. The government is pushing us too hard,” Vice Chairman for Dunkwa Small Scale Miners Association, Benjamin Annan, added.
