The Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II has described the illicit small-scale mining practices (Galamsey) as an enemy of the nation.
The revered traditional ruler says that at this stage, doing nothing about the illegal mining practice is not an option for duty bearers due to the existential threats it poses to the environment in general.
“What could be more serious for a nation than to have its entire water supply system at risk? What does the law do when one pours mercury into the same water supply knowing fully that it can kill? Galamsey is an environmental enemy for the nation and to do nothing is no longer an option”, he said during the Bar Conference held by the Ghana Bar Association in Kumasi on Monday, September 9.
The Asantehene is not the only person expressing concern about the galamsey menace. A Governance Expert, Professor Baffour Agyeman-Duah who also expressed concerns about the issue asked President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to speak on the galamsey matter.
He says the president’s silence is a concern to observers. Prof Agyeman-Duah said this after urging the president to declare a state of emergency in areas heavily impacted by the activities of galamseyers.
He observed that galamsey poses an existential threat to the nation due to the effect on the water bodies and the environment in general.
Asked whether there should be a state of emergency in view of the galamsey while speaking on the Big Issue on TV3 Monday, September 9, he said “Absolutely, it should be immediate. We should also suspend licensing of companies to mine at least for a year to have a sober reflection on how we manage our resources.”
He further raised issues against the silence of President Nana Ado Dankwa Akufo-Addo on the galamsey menace.
“The loud silence of the president is a concern. We just have to declare the state of emergency in areas where the galamsyers are doing their work. It seems the state has been so weak and can’t enforce the laws, soldiers were deployed and what happened? The two leading political parties are culpable but this is not the time to put the blame on one or the other.
A joint health sector union had urgently called on the government to immediately ban all small-scale mining activities.
In a joint statement, the leadership of these unions emphasized the critical need for the government to bolster regulatory and enforcement agencies to effectively combat the galamsey menace.
The public sector health associations and unions, including the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association, Health Services Workers Union, Ghana Medical Association, Government and Hospital Pharmacists Association, Medical Laboratory Professional Workers Union, Mortuary Workers Association of Ghana, Ghana Association of Certified Anesthetists, Health Accounting Staff Association, and the Ghana Physician Assistant Association, have expressed grave concerns over the detrimental impact of galamsey on water bodies.
“The Ghana Water Company recently reported a reduction in water production by over 60% in the Western Region, 30% in the Central Region, with a total loss of 50% of treated water due to pollution and silting from galamsey activities,” the statement highlighted.
The union leaders are demanding swift government action to protect the nation’s water resources.
“As associations and trade unions in the health sector, holding collective bargaining agreements on behalf of health sector employees, we demand that the government immediately bans all small-scale mining operations,” the statement read.
They further urged the government to strengthen regulatory enforcement by providing resources to relevant security agencies to clamp down on violators and ensure swift prosecution.
“All political parties should make public declarations and publish duly signed documents on their commitment to fight illegal and unethical mining activities in Ghana,” the unions added.
