Reports concerning river bodies in Ghana have gained currency in the media for over a decade now. For the last five years, photographs of sections of rivers in the southern parts of Ghana have been spattered on the front pages of major newspapers and tabloids and have featured prominently in radio and television discussions.
One would have wondered the currency these rivers have gained would be for their splendor but hell no. These rivers are in the news for the saddest reason of pollution. Their natural colors have turned into Lipton bubble tea. They are no more sources of drinking water for village folks as they have been polluted with mercury and cyanide from unskilled mining- Galamsey-operations.
In 2017, President Akuffo-Addo promised to be the sweeping broom who will whisk away the operations of unskilled mining activities in Ghana to preserve water bodies. Five years down the lane, the government’s resolve appears to have waned and the battle, lost, as Galamsey has spread to every nook and cranny of the gold rich south.
Environmental campaigners have been threatened into muteness by some influential chiefs who have been accused of owning illegal concessions and supporting the activities unskilled miners. The situation now is beyond control and it would require the concerted efforts of civil authorities, chiefs and religious leaders to bring the Galamsey menace under control or stop them outright.
In the wake of horrifying reports concerning destroyed cocoa farm lands by Galamsey miners to exploit gold last week, the quantum of cocoa export is likely to see a dip within the next twelve months and risks being banned in the international market because of reports of cyanide detection in some samples from Ghana.
These challenges among others, I believe, are the reasons President is meeting chiefs and MMDCEs tomorrow to address the menace of Galamsey operations.
Jeffery Jones
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