Declare state of emergency on galamsey now – Ahantaman Community Bank Board Chairman

By Juliet Aguiar DUGBARTEY, Sekondi

The Board Chairman of Ahantaman Community Bank, Rt. Rev. Daniel De-Graft Brace, has called on government to declare a state of emergency on illegal mining activities

He warned that the continued destruction of the country’s water bodies poses a serious threat to national development and public health.

According to him, despite the numerous interventions and campaigns against galamsey, the pollution and destruction of rivers and other water sources continue to worsen across many parts of the country.

Speaking to the B&FT in an interview during a presentation of water facility to support the Western Regional office of the Ghana Education Service (GES), Rt. Rev. Brace stressed that access to clean water remains critical to national development.

“Almost all our water bodies have been destroyed and polluted, and all the efforts being made by government, chiefs, clergy and even the media are not yielding the needed results,” he lamented.

Rt. Rev. Brace noted that recent media reports on violent confrontations linked to illegal mining activities demonstrate the growing complexity of the problem.

He alleged that some traditional leaders and influential persons are complicit in illegal mining activities, making enforcement efforts difficult.

“Unfortunately, some chiefs and politicians are involved, so it becomes very difficult to fight the menace effectively,” he said.

He pointed out that although initiatives such as the Blue Water Guards programme have been introduced to protect water bodies, the impact on the ground remains limited.

Citing recent reports from some regions including Western, Western North, Eastern and Central regions, he said conditions in many affected communities appear unchanged or even worsening.

“For me, if there is no state of emergency declared on our water bodies and forests, all the efforts we are making may not yield fruitful results,” he stressed.

Rt. Rev. Brace therefore called for stronger political will, stricter enforcement of laws and collective national action to safeguard the country’s natural resources for future generations.

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