The Media Coalition Against Galamsey is calling on the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo to declare a state of emergency over Ghana’s water bodies and get the military to clear everyone found on water bodies, noting that mining on water bodies is illegal.
The coalition made the call at a joint press conference held in Accra on Wednesday, September 11, 2024 at the Ghana International Press Centre.
In 2017, the President of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo promised to fight galamsey and even stated that he will put his presidency on the line to curb the menace.
However, almost 4 months to the end of his two terms, the galamsey menace has gotten out of hand.
Most water bodies and forest reserves have been invaded and destroyed by perpetrators.
The menace has become alarming and has sparked anger amongst Ghanaians who feel affected by the effects of galamsey.
Due to this, the Media Coalition Against Galamsey, The Forum, The Trades Union Congress, The Ghana Federation of Labour, Kasa Initiative Ghana, The Ghana Catholic Bishops Conference, The Christian Council of Ghana, The Office of the Chief Imam, BRACE, EcoConscious Ghana, The One Ghana Movement, The CSOs Platform on SDGs, The Peasant Farmer Association of Ghana, and other CSOs came together to say enough is enough.
Speaking at the press conference, President of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), Mr Albert Kwabena Dwumfour noted “Our forest reserves and farmlands are being destroyed and degraded with reckless abandon, all in the name of gold mining or, as the government says, all in the name of making Ghana the mining hub of Africa. “
He observed that in the mining communities, law and order are crumbling under the weight of impunity, with associated human rights abuses, adverse and forced possession of individual lands and farms and breakdown of good governance by both traditional and political leadership.
“In all these, it is regrettable that the government’s response remains distressingly indifferent, allowing this national catastrophe to continue. The question we ask is, how many more Ghanaians must die from the deadly pits? How many more must die from galamsey-associated armed conflict, human rights abuses, and livelihood deprivation? How many more Ghanaians must continue to die today from the polluted and poisoned rivers before we say, ‘enough’ is ‘enough’,” he stated.
On behalf of the Coalition, Mr Dwumfour demanded that the President declare a state of emergency over our water bodies and get the military to clear everyone found on the water bodies, adding that mining on the water bodies is illegal.
“All planned and active mining concessions overlapping with river buffers should be abrogated and all mining activities within 100 meters buffer of all rivers and streams should be halted immediately by the President. Failure of which the President must implement the full force of Act 995 without fear or favour of political colour and status in society,” he demanded.
Again, the GJA President stated that,”Almost all water bodies take their sources from the forest reserves, so all entry permits given to mine in protected globally significant biodiversity areas (GSBAs) must also be abrogated.”
He called on the President to Repeal L.I 2462 immediately and again demanded that all the Presidential Candidates of the political parties vying for elections should publicly declare their total support for this crisis response.
Mr Dwumfour stated that any leader who fails to do this does not have the country at heart, adding that the media will follow this to its end.
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Ghana |Atinkaonline.com | Porcia Oforiwaa Ofori