Prison terms for illegal miners burden Ghana’s economy – Gbande

Mustapha Gbande, Deputy General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), criticized the government's approach to illegal mining. He specifically addressed issues involving foreign nationals.

In an interview on Starr Chart with Bola Ray, Gbande argued that imprisoning offenders is not effective. He believes it drains the country's limited resources.

“Once you arrest someone, it costs the state money,” he said. He added that jailing offenders is also costly and does not deter future violations. Foreign nationals often come to Ghana without respect for local laws.

“If you come here to be irresponsible, you should be banned,” he stated. Gbande emphasized that deportation is a better solution than prosecution.

He claimed that the New Patriotic Party (NPP) previously handled these cases more effectively. “That is what the NPP did,” he noted from his own experience in the field.

Gbande then shifted focus to Ghanaians involved in illegal mining. He called for quick justice and reparations for damages caused.

“If you’re a Ghanaian, go straight to court,” he urged. Offenders should be given an ultimatum to repair damage or face jail time. “By jailing a thousand people, we can set the system right,” he concluded.