Lawyers, UTAG, Marshallans demand end to galamsey

The Ghana Bar Association (GBA), the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) and a Catholic-friendly society, the Knights of Marshall, have called for immediate actions to address the illegal small-scale mining menace, commonly called galamsey. 

While the GBA urged the state to be honest and deal with the real powers behind the menace, UTAG, on the other hand, called for an immediate ban, with the Marshallans urging collective action to address the rampant destruction of forests, pollution of rivers and existential threats to life.

The President of the GBA, Yaw Acheampong Boafo, made the call at the opening of the Annual Conference of the GBA in Kumasi last Monday. UTAG and the Marshallans tabled their respective positions in statements issued in Accra last Monday evening and yesterday.

GBA

Mr Boafo said galamsey was still wreaking havoc on the country’s forests, water bodies and the livelihoods of thousands of families whose farmlands and crops had been affected.

Mr Boafo said it could not be ignored that galamsey was controlled by powerful interests in the country.

“We cannot deal with galamsey by organising public fora and making noise on our airwaves. We will play the ostrich with our future if we pretend as we are doing now.

The government must be honest, and bold and fish out these evil persons of powerful interests in the wanton destruction of our environment and deal with them decisively, irrespective of the status of the individuals involved,” the GBA president stated.

Existential threat

Mr Boafo said despite the efforts and assurances from the government to deal with the menace, there appeared to be a consensus that not much had been done to effectively and roundly deal with it, bluntly putting it as “things are getting worse”.

“As an issue which poses an existential threat to our nation so severe that His Excellency the President put his Presidency on the line, unfortunately, has degenerated into a political football match between the major political parties as to who polluted the water the most,” he stated while condemning such pronouncements as “irresponsible”.

University teachers

UTAG demanded that mining and prospecting for gold and other minerals be halted immediately in forest reserves, farms and water bodies, stressing that “If this is not done by the end of September 2024, we will embark on a nationwide industrial action”.

The university teachers cited several stakeholders who had warned that if the current trajectory continued, Ghana might be forced to import potable water within six years.

It said cocoa productivity, once a cornerstone of the economy, had declined by 45 per cent this year, with estimates that illegal mining cost the economy $2.3 billion annually.

Statement

UTAG referenced the Forestry Commission’s report that over 2.5 million hectares of forest cover had been permanently destroyed. At the same time, the Ghana Health Service (GHS) had identified a 35 per cent rise in respiratory diseases in mining areas.

“This situation correlates very well with high levels of particulate matter and harmful chemical toxins such as mercury, arsenic, lead, cadmium, chromium, etc, found in water bodies, soils, and foods in these mining areas.

“While mining has been an integral part of our lives for a long time, these devastating developments are linked to the evil actions of greedy people involved in these activities whose quest for wealth is insatiable.

Have we not already destroyed 50 per cent of what our forefathers left us? The time for action is now. All forms of small-scale mining must be banned immediately,” UTAG stressed.

It called for a united front to confront the menace to safeguard the future of society and chart a sustainable path to development. 

Marshallans

The Marshallans, on the other hand, said “The loss of the country’s natural resources, including forests, wildlife and other areas of biodiversity of global significance in the last 30 years, has signalled an urgent call to action”.

A communique issued by the society and signed by its Supreme Knight, Sir Kt Bro. Richard Ayih-Akakpo, raised concerns about irresponsible logging, land clearance and agricultural expansion that had led to devastating forest loss, threatening biodiversity, climate regulation and indigenous communities.

It also touched on the pollution of rivers, lakes and oceans with plastics, chemicals and waste, endangering aquatic life, human health and the global water supply.

It stated that the sediments deposited into water bodies during illegal mining contained heavy metals such as mercury, arsenic and lead which were toxic to aquatic life and humans. “The toxic chemicals from illegal mining have been found to cause skin problems, cancer and other health problems in humans who consume contaminated water,” it said.

Call to action

The Marshallans called for the adoption of eco-friendly policies, reduction in carbon footprints, and promotion of renewable energy; protection and restoration of forests, wetlands and wildlife habitats; education, involvement, and the empowerment of local communities in environmental stewardship and advocating the implementation of robust environmental regulations and enforcement.

It said together, the populace could preserve the natural resources for future generations; ensure a healthy, thriving planet; protect the inherent right to a safe and sustainable environment and develop a spirituality that recognised the theology, ethics and faith practices that integrated ecology and the environment.