The Ghana Civil Society Organsitions (CSOs) platform on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) has expressed worry that Ghana will not be able to achieve the SDGs by the year 2030 due to illegal mining activities that have devastated water bodies, forest among others.
It has further said government must enforce a ban on illegal mining and call on mining institution to operate within the buffer zone policy of 100 metres away from water bodies.
The Co- Chair of the platform on SDGs, Mrs.Beauty Emefa Narteh at a news conference in Accra called on government as a matter of urgency to take immediate action to address the galamsy menace to save the environment from futher destruction adding that failure of government on irresponsible mining will affect livelihood of rural communities, food security and health.
She however urged government to withdraw licenses from mining concessions along water bodies and also revoke also the Environmental Protection ( Mining in Forest Reserves) Regulations, 2023 ( LI2462) in forest and protected reserves.
“As a platform, the CSOs represents the voice of the people and the communities we solidarise with Organised Labour on embarking on strike to pressure government to put in place swift measures to ban irresponsible mining across the country,” Mrs. Narteh stressed.
For his part, the convener of the Media Coalition Against Galamsey, Ing. Kenneth Ashigbey said government have not shown the desire of addressing the galamsey menace saying the illegal activities of mining have impacted negatively on the environment and human health.
He said there have been an increase in birth defects in mining communities due to the pollution of water bodies with chemicals such mercury, cynaide among others, adding that if drinking water is not well purified it brings adverse health effects on the people in mining communities.
” Presidential Candidate of the NPP and the NDC must sign a pact committed to the goals of mining laws to enable them be accountable for their initiatives and programmes relating to irresponsible and illegal mining,” he said.
By Ben LARYEA
