Galamsey: Ghana’s defining battle, a fight we cannot afford to lose

Ghanaians have always shown a remarkable ability to unite behind causes that touch our collective conscience.  

Ghanaians and other Africans rallied behind Mexico during a World Cup opening match against South Africa as a symbolic response to the xenophobic attacks that had targeted Ghanaians and other African nationals living in South Africa.

It was not merely about football; it was a statement against injustice and a demonstration of solidarity with fellow Africans who had suffered discrimination and violence.

Today, Ghana faces a different but equally serious threat, one that endangers our livelihoods, our environment, and the future of generations yet unborn.

That threat is illegal mining, commonly known as galamsey.

Just as we united in condemning xenophobia, we must now unite in confronting galamsey.

The destruction being caused by illegal mining is not directed at a few individuals; it is an assault on the entire nation.

Our rivers are being poisoned, our forests are disappearing, fertile farmlands are being destroyed, and the health and well-being of millions of Ghanaians are being put at risk.

The fight against galamsey has reached a critical stage.

While some progress has been made, there is a growing perception that the battle is slipping from our grasp.

This is not the time for complacency, resignation or surrender.

Rather, it is the moment for renewed determination and collective action.

The stakes are simply too high.

Without clean water, healthy forests, and productive agricultural lands, our economic development, public health and national security are all threatened.

Galamsey is no longer merely an environmental issue; it is a threat to Ghana's very existence.

The writer is the immediate-past President of the Institution of Engineering and Technology