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Ghana in recent years has experienced cruel activities on farmlands and water bodies with significant destruction, rendering undue destitution to some indigenes in mining communities and affluence to others involved in the mining activities.
The Challenges in Fighting Galamsey
Announcement of galamsey fight by the President of Ghana gained massive support from the populace but what seemed like an end to a menace and victory in sight turned to gory nightmare and complete loss of hope as gathered yet fluffy muscles to fight back all plans to uproot the canker.
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One may argue that the fight is way difficult than it appears as recent events such as Inconsistencies in reports of Chinese nationals who were deported after arrest on charges of illegal mining, the notorious Aisha Huang who was culpable per the laws of Ghana evaded prosecution and under the hand of the Senior Minister and was surprisingly deported, the audacious return of Aisha Huang, Chiefs selling farmlands to illegal miners/Chinese miners for few dollars, the political bigwigs involvement in illegal mining, just to mention a few only lay credence to this claim.
Effects of Galamsey or Illegal Mining in Ghana
The Ghana Cocoa Board projects its annual cocoa output to rise to 1.6million tonnes by 2026. But this is threatened by the activities of illegal miners. Most cocoa farmers stand aloof and watch helplessly whilst their farms get destroyed by illegal miners others trade in the farmlands for money to illegal miners and the harmful chemicals used in such as cyanide could lead to a ban of Ghana’s cocoa beans on international market, Agric Minister warns.
Ghana exports 80% of its cocoa into the European Union market, according to COCOBOD. Stakeholders are therefore worried about the impact of the menace on the finances of the country and the cocoa sector.
A country notably known for cocoa production and export of same on the international market dropped from the number producer of cocoa to number two after Cote de Voire. Ghana’s leverage in international trade being cocoa and the major cash crop is now loosing its dominance.
There have been countless reports of increasing cases of kidney diseases at KATH in fact the cases have quadrupled in the last 3 years.
Ghana water company also warns the general public about illegal mining and that if not stopped immediately could lead to their inability to treat water for consumption and Ghana may have to be importing water soon.
The perceived dangers of illegal mining do not only affect us now but the future generations and may cripple the economy of Ghana with little or no restoration of the economy.
Joy fm’s documentary titled Destruction for gold’ reveals shocking details of illegal mining popularly known as which led to the launch of its hashtag #notogalamsey as way of getting all voices to boost the fight against illegal mining.
