The Youth Caucus of the Movement for Change and Alliance for Revolutionary Change (the Yellow Army) has jointly called for the expeditious end to the escalating destruction of the environment and communities due to illegal mining activities, commonly called “galamsey” in the local parlance.
Duke Aaron Sasu, Esq., the National Youth Leader of the movement, stated in a press release that “Our attachment to the duopoly of National Democratic Congress (NDC) and New Patriotic Party (NPP) who have supervised this mess must end and that the time to act is now.”
He has made a clarion call on every Ghanaian, especially the youth, to arise and take a bold step to rescue the country from nation wreckers, adding that “We cannot afford to remain silent for we are either victims or perpetrators.
“Illegal mining activities form a major health threat to people who depend on the rivers for their livelihoods, as well as aquatic lives,” Duke Aaron Sasu Esq. noted.
He noted that galamsey has become a widespread issue, with illegal mining operations wreaking havoc on water bodies, farmlands and the ecosystem.
The youth leader mentioned Pra, Ankobra and Birim Rivers as having been severely polluted and thus threatening our environment and public health.
The Youth Leader explained that the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) faces increasing challenges in water purification, with treatment costs rising to 60 percent as a result of which GWCL faces imminent shutdown of two of its ten plants in the Ashanti Region while the Central Region is also on the verge of a water shortage crisis.
Duke Aaron Sasu pointed to the health repercussions of galamsey where babies born in galamsey-prone areas suffer cognitive impairment and other deformities due to the high use of heavy metal in the extraction of gold by galamsey operators.
Lawyer Sasu noted that it is very appalling for political leaders of the New Patriotic Party and National Democratic Congress to trivialise this national crisis citing the Majority Chief Whip of Parliament’s recent statement, blaming the opposition NDC for having polluted water bodies more than the ruling NPP as both irresponsible, divisive, insulting and a clear show of degree of negligence on the part of political actors in the NPP and NDC.
The MFC youth leader said the devastation caused by galamsey is a national emergency that requires unity, not political point-scoring, adding that the toll of environmental destruction inflicted by galamsey activities keeps mounting on a daily basis, yet the NPP and NDC take delight in roles to pollute rivers, instead of tackling it.
It was further noted that water bodies have been contaminated and rendered unusable, while over 34 forest reserves have been destroyed for the parochial gains of the illegal miners, under the watch of the NPP and NDC.
The MFC youth leader noted that the patriotic efforts of fellow countrymen, the media, the security services, civil society groups and religious bodies to get the government to urgently address the menace of illegal mining, which have proven futile due to the nonchalant attitude of past and present governments.
Duke Aaron Sasu Esq., therefore, demanded that the government take urgent steps to “declare a state of emergency in the affected regions” to address the galamsey crisis, stressing that “immediate actions must be taken to restore polluted water bodies and enforce sustainable mining practices.”
He acknowledged the stance of the Founder and Leader of the Movement for Change, Mr. Alan John Kwadwo Kyerematen against galamsey and his plan towards reversing this trend, while making reference to page 77 of Alan’s proposed Great Transformational Plan.
The Youth Leader also touted Alan Kyerematen’s commitment to sustainable development and environmental protection, saying Ghana desperately needs a leader to overcome this crisis.
From Oswald Pius Freiku, Kumasi
