Dr. Kenneth Ashigbey, Convenor of the Media Coalition Against galamsey, has expressed disappointment with the Ghana Medical Association (GMA) for distancing itself from Organised Labour’s planned strike action.
The GMA had earlier directed its members to “continue providing full services without interruptions,” despite Organised Labour’s announcement of a nationwide strike set to begin on Thursday, October 10, 2024.
The strike aims to protest the government’s failure to effectively tackle the illegal mining (galamsey) crisis.
Dr. Ashigbey voiced concern over the GMA’s decision, stressing the importance of collective action in addressing the galamsey menace, which has severely impacted the environment and public health.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, GMA President Dr Frank Serebour clarified, “The Ghana Medical Association (GMA) has not declared a roadmap for industrial action. Therefore, all members are expected to continue providing full services without interruptions.”
Speaking in an interview on Eyewitness News on Citi FM on Tuesday, Dr Ashigbey highlighted the severe health implications of illegal mining, known as galamsey, and urged the GMA to reconsider its stance.
“It is a shame that we have the GMA which was one of those early institutions to have written the need to use various legal and democratic tools to get solutions to a problem which is more medical than anything else…It is quite difficult to see why the GMA would want to dissociate themselves from this action,” Dr Ashigbey stated.
He emphasised the critical health risks posed by galamsey, including water contamination and respiratory issues, which have dire consequences for the population.
Dr Ashigbey therefore called on the GMA to align with other labour unions in the fight against galamsey, stressing the importance of collective action in safeguarding public health.
“The health implications are really dire and I am hoping that GMA reconsiders their decision but be that it may I think we have a good number of Labour unions…You know posterity will judge all of us on what we did when Ghana was at the point of poisoning itself to extinction-where did people stand fortunately the internet does not forgive neither does it forget,” he added.
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