1 month ago
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The Ghana Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) Platform has thrown its weight behind the organised labour’s strike against galamsey.
At a press conference held in Accra yesterday, the CSOs Platform cited the devastating impact of illegal mining on the country’s sustainable development goals and requested for an immediate action to be taken by the government.
It also condemned the widespread destruction caused by galamsey, emphasizing its threat to rural livelihoods, public health, food security, and natural resources.
Speaking at the press conference, the Executive Secretary of Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition (GACC) and Co-Chair, CSOs Platform on SDGs, Mrs Beauty Emefa Narteh, demanded an immediate action from President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to help eliminate the menace the ‘galamsey’ had caused.
The demands included the immediate revocation of LI 2462 and withdrawal of all licenses that had been granted for reconnaissance, prospecting, exploration and or mining in forest and protected reserves, and the withdrawal of all licenses that had been granted for mining concessions that span across water bodies.
Others were the enforcement of all illegal mining including mining in water bodies and forest reserves, and enforcement of the buffer zone policy of no mining within 100 metres of any river or water body.
She also indicated that the issue of galamsey was widespread and without combating it and other forms of irresponsible mining in Ghana, it would continue and the country would not be able to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal 13, 14 and 15, which focused on climate change, life below water and life on land by the year 2030.
Mrs Narteh further urged citizens to unite against the fight of galamsey, emphasizing the critical need for government action to protect the environment and ensure sustainable development.
“The nuance and the menace will further remove Ghana from the conversation of the pact for the future that includes a global digital compact and a declaration of future generations was adopted at the United Nations in September 2024,” she added.
The Governance Officer and a representative of the National Chief Imam, Alhaji Zuberu Alidu, expressed the National Chief Imam, Sheikh Osmanu Nuhu Sharubutu’s worry on galamsey and called on the leadership of the country to pay heed to the advice of environmental experts and other relevant stakeholders in order to save humanity and the nation at large.
“The chief imam takes this opportunity to call on the leadership, that is the President, parliament for them to reaffirm their commitment to the nationwide fight against galamsey,” Alhaji Alidu said.
“If the current trend of water body destruction continues, the future of this country would be in jeopardy,” he added
BY CYNTHIA ASAMPANA
