We need to uncover bigwigs funding illegal mining - Ken Ashigbey

Most illegal miners are not financially stable to purchase excavators, other equipment

Bigwigs fananciers of galamsey

Chief Executive Officer of Chamber of Telecommunications, Ken Ashigbey, has entreated media practitioners to go the extra mile in the fight against illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey.

In his view, these illegal miners are not financially stable enough to import excavators and other equipment needed to aid their work.

Therefore, it is imperative that powerful persons hiding behind the works of these illegal miners are smoked out.

“One of the places that we have gotten to as media and that would require a bit of support and funding is to be able to do the investigative reporting. It is very risky, but that is the work we need to do. We need, to do and uncover the bigwigs behind this,” he said.

Ken Ashigbey wondered how illegal miners are paid over GH¢20,000 as workmanship a day.

“It is not the people in the pits that you need to deal with. Who are the people who are importing these excavators into town? Who are the people renting them for over GH¢20,000 a day? That is not a small amount of money, we need to be able to unearth all of these people,” he stated.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources has deployed the military to illegal mining sites across the country to put their businesses to a halt.

This will help preserve the country's natural resources.