Asantehene calls for legal and collective action against galamsey devastation

The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, has reiterated the destructive impact of illegal mining, popularly known as "galamsey," on the nation’s environment, particularly water resources.

Speaking at the Ghana Bar Association's (GBA) annual conference held at the Great Hall of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) in Kumasi on Monday, September 9, the Asantehene urged the legal fraternity to take decisive action against the environmental crisis.

Otumfuo emphasised the urgency of addressing the devastation caused by galamsey, highlighting the direct threat it poses to Ghana’s water supply.

"Galamsey is an environmental enemy for the nation," he declared. "What could be more serious for any people than to have the entire water supply system at risk?" he questioned.

He challenged the legal community to set aside time during the conference to form a panel to examine the worst-affected areas and deliberate on how laws should be reshaped to tackle this critical issue.

The Asantehene further underscored the legal ramifications of environmental damage, drawing a parallel between deliberate poisoning of a water source and the contamination caused by galamsey activities. 

“If an individual poisoned the water supply of a community, he would face severe consequences under the law. What does the law do when one pours mercury into the same water supply, knowing fully well it can kill?” Otumfuo questioned.

He lamented the state of Ghana’s rivers, citing a personal encounter with the severely polluted River Pra. “While I was going to Cape Coast, I stopped over the River Pra and what I saw was so embarrassing. If as a nation we live for this to happen to us, we have to fight this no matter what.”

He therefore called for a united front from various sectors of society, including the legal, medical, and academic communities, to confront the galamsey menace.

He stressed, “This issue now requires the collective effort of all sections of society. To do nothing is no longer an option.”

The Asantehene's call comes at a time when galamsey continues to wreak havoc on Ghana’s environment, particularly its water bodies. The rampant use of mercury and other harmful chemicals by illegal miners has led to widespread pollution, threatening the health of entire communities and putting the nation's water supply at risk.