In a passionate appeal, the Media Coalition Against Galamsey is urging all Ghanaians to unite and stand against the ongoing devastations caused by the activities of illegal miners.
The Coalition says the future of the current and the next generation is bleak given the level of destruction caused by persons perpetuating illegal mining activities.
Uncovered pits are becoming death traps for innocent souls. River bodies, including the fish in them, have become poisonous to human lives due to the harmful chemicals used in the activities of these miners. There is an imminent water shortage in the country in the future as the nation’s water producer, the Ghana Water Company has served notice that the current turbidity levels in their source waters have rendered it untreatable for human consumption. Respiratory disorders, lung diseases, birth deformities, and cancers are some of the health implications people in these illegal mining areas are battling.
Convener of the Coalition, Dr. Ken Ashigbey says these dire consequences are a result of the activities of some greedy and criminal-minded people in the sector seeking monetary gains at the expense of the entire nation.
The convener therefore tells The High Street Journal that Ghanaians should not sit aloof for a minority group to jeopardize the future of the entire country.
“We should not allow few greedy and criminal-minded people to poison us,” he emphasized.
He is calling on all Ghanaians to rise above political party affiliations and rather objectively deal with a menace that threatens a safe future.
He stressed that “this has nothing to do with partisanship. Our focus should not be on the next election. Our focus should be on the next generation. Whether you are NPP or you are NDC, when these challenges that are facing us arise, the water you are drinking, the food you are eating, and the earth you are breathing, it does not determine where you are coming from.”
He again alluded to President Akufo-Addo’s call for Ghanaians to “be citizens but not spectators” in 2017 to motivate all and sundry to play a part in halting the menace and protect the state from the devastating impact of illegal mining.
