Three more groups have reiterated the call for immediate clampdown on illegal mining.
They are the Coalition of Muslim Organisations, Ghana (COMOG), the Ghana Agriculture Workers Union (GAWU) and the Ghana Affiliate of the International Association for Impact Assessment (IAIA).
In separate statements issued by their respective leaders and copied to the Ghanaian Times, they asked the government to immediately stop the destruction of the country’s river bodies and forest cover.
The COMOG statement issued by its President, Abdel-Manan Abdel-Rahman, condemned strongly the illegal mining activities and its threat to the country’s environment, economy, and national development.
It said the activities contravened Islamic principles of environment serenity and social responsibility and also undermine the entire mining industry likewise poising national security risks.
It, therefore, called on the government to increase enforcement and monitoring of mining activities; strengthen regulations and laws to prevent illegal mining and use community engagement and education to raise awareness about the risks of illegal mining.
“COMOG is committed to promoting Islamic values of environmental serenity, social responsibility, and economic justice in Chana.
“We urge all stakeholders to join us in condemning illegal mining and work towards a solution that protects the environment, economy and the health conditions of our people,” it said.
Similarly, the IAIA statement issued by its President, Ebenezer Appah-Sampong, condemned the practice, and called for immediate action including strengthening community and institutional involvement.
Other measures, it recommended, included the enforcement of a nationwide moratorium on all small-scale mining, and designating No-Go Areas to protect sensitive ecosystems.
They also proposed confiscating illegal mining sites for restoration and regulating mining equipment to curb illegal activities, and urged political parties to publicly condemn galamsey to raise awareness.
The IAIA said solving this crisis required urgent, decisive measures and collaboration to ensure a sustainable future for Ghana.
The GAWU statement issued by its General Secretary, Andrew Tagoe, said food security in Ghana had been increasingly threatened by illegal mining, evident by the widespread destruction of farmland, water pollution, and forest loss.
This, it said, had led to significant economic and environmental challenges, including food scarcity, high crop prices, and climate change effects.
It cited research which highlighted that over 7,400 galamsey sites had damaged 2.5 million hectares of forest, leading to the loss of cocoa and oil palm plantations, which undermined biodiversity and agricultural productivity.
It reiterated calls for a state of emergency to address the galamsey crisis and demand immediate government action to reclaim destroyed lands, restore polluted water bodies, and prosecute those responsible for illegal mining activities.
The statement said this was important because the crisis had not only led to substantial economic losses, estimated at over US$ 4 billion annually, but also poses severe health risks to citizens.
If not addressed, the Union said the practice could exacerbate unemployment, health issues, and food insecurity, making the agricultural sector increasingly untenable.
The statements by the groups come days after heated advocacy from various groups and individuals compelled the government to direct regional ministers to enhance enforcement actions in addition to the setting up of an inter-ministerial committee on galamsey.