The Media Coalition Against Illegal Mining, also known as ‘Galamsey,’ has intensified its call for immediate government intervention to halt the devastating impact of illegal mining activities.
At a press conference, the coalition urged the government to declare an emergency ban on illegal mining, particularly in water bodies and forest reserves.
The coalition emphasized that failure to address the illegal mining crisis could severely harm the country’s natural resources, endanger public health, and devastate water bodies and forest ecosystems.
Most Reverend Matthew Kwasi Gyamfi, President of the Catholic Bishops Conference, addressed the conference, lamenting the widespread damage caused by illegal mining, stating “Illegal mining has polluted several of our rivers, rendering them undrinkable and unfit for agricultural and domestic use.”
Citing data from the Ghana Water Company Limited, he pointed out that the turbidity of the Pra River had reached an alarming 14,000 NTU, far above the recommended 2,000 NTU.
“These polluted waters have severely impacted the livelihoods of farmers and rural communities, reducing their access to clean water for crops and domestic use. Additionally, vast stretches of arable land, including cocoa farms, have been destroyed, endangering the country’s food security and the survival of farmers.” Mr. Gyamfi added.
He warned that the use of toxic chemicals like mercury in illegal mining activities presents significant health risks, including respiratory and neurological disorders, as well as increasing rates of kidney disease.
Drawing attention to the rise in deformities in newborns, he attributed this menace to environmental contamination from illegal mining, noting, “How can we justify the surge in physical and biological deformities in newborn babies caused by such unscrupulous and selfish enterprises?” Rev. Gyamfi asked.
Blaming the persistent problem of illegal mining on weak law enforcement and a lack of political will, Rev. Gyamfi stated that “Despite the existence of environmental protection laws, their enforcement has been weak and inconsistent. Corruption, complicity of political leaders, and the inaction of some chiefs have allowed illegal mining to thrive unchecked.”
“We can no longer tolerate the lip service of governments, regardless of their political color. We call for action not tomorrow, but now, right from this press conference,” Rev. Gyamfi asserted, urging all stakeholders to unite in this fight.
Dr. Kenneth Ashigbey, founder of the Media Coalition Against Illegal Mining, issued a stern warning to the government, vowing that the media would intensify its pressure through strikes and a blackout on government activities related to natural resources.
“If we don’t act now, we’ll start licking clay, that’s water. The media, in collaboration with labor unions, will take action, blacking out everything related to the Ministry of Plants and Natural Resources until the president declares a state of emergency,” he stated.
,Mr. Ashigbey urged the president to use his authority under Article 31 of the Constitution to declare a national state of emergency, calling for stronger investigative journalism to expose those responsible for illegal mining.
“We’ve been talking since 2017. Now we’ve stopped talking. We’re putting pressure, and the media has taken a clear position for Ghana,” Mr. Ashigbey emphasized.
Meanwhile Joshua Ansah, Secretary General of the Trades Union Congress (TUC) Ghana, echoed the concerns raised at the conference, warning that illegal mining is destroying Ghana’s forests and polluting water sources at an “unprecedented scale.”
“The destruction of our water bodies is at an unprecedented scale,” Mr. Ansah said, adding that if the government does not act by the end of September, organized labor will launch strikes and demonstrations.
He outlined several immediate actions the government must take, including the deployment of police and military forces to remove and destroy illegal mining equipment, therefore calling for the revocation of licenses for mining activities in forests and protected reserves.
“Organized labor demands immediate actions from the president… We must protect our water bodies and forests for the survival of our people and the future of our country,” Mr. Ansah concluded.
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Source: ATLFMNEWS
