The government of Ghana needs to urgently address activities related to illegal mining in the country.
Development Diaries reports that hundreds of protesters started demonstrations on 03 October in Accra to demand an end to illegal mining (galamsey) in the country.
The demonstrators are also calling for the immediate release of protesters, 54 members of the Democracy Hub pressure group arrested during a similar protest two weeks ago.
Illegal mining or galamsey has continuously degraded the environment in Ghana, causing harm to people and denying them access to water bodies and farmlands due to severe pollution.
The practice is undermining Ghana’s agricultural potential and public health as rivers are contaminated with toxic chemicals.
Ghana is facing an economic crisis and high inflation, situations that have forced landowners to sell their lands to illegal miners.
The government’s handling of the issue has become a critical topic ahead of the December general election, with many citizens accusing the current administration of not doing enough to address the issues.
‘I don’t think that I even care about the elections personally. I care about what’s happening to the water bodies’, journalist Saddick Adams said in a statement.
‘When should we take action? Should we allow for elections to be done? What happens if there are political figures in the next government, be it NPP or NDC? And because elections have happened, they will stop.
‘There is no correlation, so it is absurd to suggest that we should wait for elections. What is the correlation between the destruction of water bodies?
‘Because we will not get water in the next two months, and water is more important to me than politics and the elections. All of us here can choose not to vote, but you cannot choose not to drink water’.
Part of the responsibility of a government is to ensure citizens have access to clean water.
Development Diaries calls on the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel Jinapor, to ensure immediate actions are taken to address galamsey across the country.
We also urge the nation’s security forces to ensure the rights of protesters are respected as enshrined in the country’s constitution.
Photo source: DW
