All must join in “galamsey” fight

The Osumpahen of Gomoa Akyempim Traditional Council in the Central Region,  Nana Ogyedom Ama Tsetsewa I has charged the citizenry to go public about their stands on the issues of illegal mining popularly known as “galamsey”.

She was of the conviction that everyone must get on board to make a deafening noise about the subject because it was a matter that had a negative impact on the environment and also concerned both the current state of the country and its future.

Nana Ogyedom Tetsewah I made the remarks in an interview with the Ghanaian Times on Thursday here where she said everything that had to do with water pollution and land degradation was a threat to life which must be fought till the right thing was done. 

Expressing her concerns about illegal mining as a traditional leader, she said there was the need for resilience and determination by all those who mean well for the country to continuously drum home the fact that water is life and should be protected. 

She observed that with the current state of affairs, water was not the only thing that had been compromised but also food because when polluted water from toxic chemicals was used to water farms, the chemicals such as Mercury could be released into the water bodies that could contaminate the food.

Nana Ogyedom Tetsewah I said the interests of a few selfish people should not replace the collective good of the entire nation that could even cause food insecurity and set the nation on the path of importing water.

She said there were claims that some foreign nationals were involved in the destruction of the lands and water bodies of the country which she said the locals who were involved in the act should be ashamed of themselves and severely punished by law enforcement agencies.

“Would these foreigners look unconcerned or help other nationals to destroy their country? They obviously won’t, so why should we join them to do such harmful activities to our dear nation” she questioned. 

The Osumpahen of the Gomoa Akyempim Traditional Council appealed to all traditional leaders to expose such miscreants and not shield them nor endorse their activities.

She said religious leaders should also find a way to talk about galamsey consistently in their sermons to get more people to join in the fight against the menace to ensure that the water bodies and lands were restored to their former glory.

FROM DZIFA TETTEH TAY, TEMA