Nana Akosua Gyamfiaba II, Queenmother of Nyankrom and Acting Paramount Queenmother, Shama Traditional Council, has decried the increasing illegal mining activities in the country.
According to Nana Gyamfiaba II, illegal mining was getting out of hand and urged the government to intervene to save water bodies.
She noted that illegal mining was not only destroying water bodies, but destroying farmlands, plant species and buffer zones.
Nana Gyamfiaba II was speaking at the 14th Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) Annual Natural Resources and Environment Review Forum 2023 held in Accra.
The forum was under the theme: “Enhancing the integration of sustainable National Resource and Environment Priorities in Ghana’s Development Frameworks: Critical issues by CSOs for State Agencies and Political Actors.”
The forum organised by Kasa Initiative Ghana, aims at promoting the reflection of Key Natural Resources and Environment (NRE) issues in political manifestos towards 2024.
Kasa Initiative Ghana is a NRE platform that works with over 500 civil society partners to support participatory environmental and natural resource governance. Nana Gyamfiaba appealed to the government to repeal LI 2462 to ensure that mining activities in all forest reserves are prohibited.
According to her, mining activities had serious bearing on the health of the people adding use of mercury in mining was affecting fertility (menstruation) and childbirth.
Mr. Jonathan Gokah, Coordinator, Kasa Initiative Ghana, said his organisation has decided to hold continuous discussions with political parties on issues concerning natural resources management.
Mr. Gokah said Kasa Initiative Ghana seeks to fine-tune policies of political parties within their manifestoes and draft official communiqués for state agencies and ministries in NRE issues.
Mr. Gokah said his organisation as a next step would like to engage political parties one on one on issues of environment and natural resources.
By Joyce Danso
Source: GNA
