‘Join the fight against illegal mining’

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 stance 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 here on Thursday.

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 was 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, chemicals such as mercury released into the water bodies could contaminate the food.

Nana Ogyedom Tetsewah I said the interests of some selfish people should not replace the collective good of the entire nation which 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 locals who were involved in the act should be ashamed of themselves and severely punished by law enforcement agencies.

“Would these foreigners look on 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 ways to talk about galamsey consistently in their sermons to get more people involve in the fight against the menace to ensure that the water bodies and lands were restored to their full glory.

FROM DZIFA TETTEH TAY, TEMA