Curbing galamsey, a collective responsibility

The issue of illegal mining (galamsey) and its negative impact on national development is most worrying, to say the least. In all mining communities across the country, galamsey activities are on the increase.

This is the more reason why as a country we need to take a hard decision to check the spread of the menace that threatens our forests and water bodies.

Our water bodies, arable lands, school parks, community cemeteries and forest reserves have been destroyed by activities of illegal miners and in some cases by small and large-scale miners.

It is worth noting that the Ghana National Association of Small Scale Miners (GNASSM) has dissociated itself from illegal mining.

Clearly, illegal miners have been blamed for the destruction caused to our natural resources, including land and water bodies, and it is good that the small-scale miners have distanced themselves from the activities that threaten our heritage.

Beyond this, however, is our own individual and collective behaviour towards the preservation of the environment.

Some of us, including chiefs, politicians, opinion leaders and even law enforcement agencies can also be blamed for the destruction of our environment, as they collaborate with some foreigners to mess up the country’s natural resources.

With the use of very sophisticated equipment and poisonous chemicals, such as cyanide and mercury, illegal miners are simply killing the nation with their selfish interest.

As a nation, we have no choice but to arrest the rising trend, if we are to preserve our resources and sustain them as a legacy for the future generation.

This calls for all hands on deck to reclaim all mined lands and  keep our environment safe, secure and productive.

The security agencies must also be up and doing and lead in the efforts to sanitise and protect  the environment  without fear or favour.

As a key measure, law enforcement agencies must ensure that mining regulations are strictly adhered to and illegal miners are prevented from mining close to river bodies. The laws of the land must work and frown on  the involvement of  foreigners in illegal mining activities.

It is good that the small-scale miners have distanced themselves from illegal miners but the association cannot vouch for all its members as some of them connive with illegal miners to degrade the environment.

Now that they have stated their position in very clear terms, it still behoves them to help the government to police the system by exposing those who want to disturb the sanctity of the environment.