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The government will from today [Monday] begin the vetting of all\u00a0small-scale miners<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0in the country.<\/p>\n This is part of efforts to sanitize the country\u2019s mining industry and ensure that persons engaged in the commercial activity do so in a responsible, environmentally-friendly and sustainable manner.<\/p>\n The Ministry of Information in an earlier statement directed all registered artisanal and small-scale miners whose licenses were operational as at April 1, 2017\u00a0to submit all relevant documentation to the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining (IMCIM) Secretariat by post or in person before Friday, September 7, 2018.<\/p>\n The documents they are expected to present include Mining License, Environmental Permit, Operating Permit, Certificate of Registration, Tax Identification Number, two copies of passport size photos, Birth Certificate, Passport or Voter\u2019s ID and current contact details.<\/p>\n Persons who pass the vetting will be cleared to return to the mines when the government eventually lifts its 2017 ban on all forms of small-scale mining activities.<\/p>\n Prof. Frimpong Boateng, Chairman of the Inter-Ministerial Task-force against illegal mining at a press briefing last month said the outcome of the vetting process will influence the government\u2019s decision on the ban .<\/p>\n \u201cIf the vetting goes on well then we will know when exactly the ban will be lifted,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Gov\u2019t to lift the ban on small-scale mining by December<\/strong><\/p>\n The government has already hinted that it may lift the ban on all forms of small-scale mining by the end of 2018.<\/p>\n The government was compelled to issue the\u00a0ban<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0in 2017, at the time\u00a0illegal mining<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0was destroying the county\u2019s land and water resources.<\/p>\n Analysts warned that Ghana might resort to the\u00a0importation of clean water<\/strong>\u00a0<\/a>in the next two decades if the threat was not eradicated.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/citinewsroom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/Vetting-of-small-scale-miners.jpg\")
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