UTAG demand nationwide ban on Mining in forest reserves, farms, rivers

Accra, Ghana - September 10, 2024 - The University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) has made a passionate plea for an immediate nationwide ban on mining and prospecting in forest reserves, farms, and rivers.

This call to action is a direct response to the catastrophic environmental degradation caused by unchecked illegal mining activities.

UTAG is urging the government to take bold and swift action to combat the destructive effects of illegal mining, which pose a significant threat to Ghana's natural resources and ecosystem.

“Given the current alarming state of illegal mining in the country, these critiques are difficult to dispute. UTAG is calling for a total ban on galamsey now,'' the statement read.

The association's demand for a ban is a clarion call for the protection of the country's environmental heritage and the preservation of its natural beauty for future generations.

As the environmental crisis deepens, UTAG's appeal puts pressure on the government to act decisively and address the issue with the urgency it deserves.

Find excerpts from the UTAG statement below.

“Cocoa productivity, once a cornerstone of our dear economy, has declined by 45% this year. Experts estimate that illegal mining costs the economy $2.3 billion annually. The Forestry Commission reports that over 2.5 million hectares of forest cover have been permanently destroyed. The Ghana Health Service (GHS) has identified a 35% rise in respiratory diseases in mining areas, and the alarming statistics continue.”

“This situation correlates very well with high levels of particulate matter and harmful chemical toxins such as mercury, arsenic, lead, cadmium, chromium, etc, found in water bodies, soils, and foods in these mining areas. While mining has been an integral part of our lives for a long time, these devastating developments are linked to the evil actions of greedy people involved in these activities whose quest for wealth is insatiable. Have we not already destroyed 50% of what our forefathers left us? The time for action is now. All forms of small-scale mining must be banned immediately,” it stated.

“The data shows that small-scale mining has negatively affected Ghanaians and instead has evolved into a tool for economic empowerment for the political class, chieftaincy leaders, and the elite.

“It does not appear that the rigid and bold stands of some traditional leaders like the Asantehene, Otumfour Nana Osei-Tutu II, against this menace would yield the desired results with the carnage currently on the rise,” it stated.

“We are calling on the Ghanaian people to support the call for a complete ban on mining in our forest reserves, farms, and water bodies. UTAG will join all labour unions in Ghana to act decisively to ensure that the right thing is done. If this is not done by the end of September 2024, we will embark on a nationwide industrial action.”

“We have taken this principled stand against galamsey because our lives depend on it. We shall not waive our demand for the complete and total ban of galamsey,” it stated.

Source : Florence Kyei /Lead News Online