ACCRA – Deputy Director of A Rocha Ghana, Daryl Bosu, has questioned the government’s claims about progress in the fight against illegal mining, saying they do not reflect the lived experiences of affected communities.
Speaking after a stakeholder meeting between President John Dramani Mahama and civil society organisations in Accra on Friday, October 3 on Citi Eyewitness News, Bosu said the frustrations and suffering of people in mining-affected areas are far worse than what was presented during the engagement.
“If you really are going to be very truthful and face the fact. If you go to the communities and hear the stories of frustrations, the stories of intimidations from illegal miners whatever we heard on the screens or saw on the screens today is not a true reflection of the sentiment of the people who are feeling the brunt of the illegal mess,” he said.
He noted that pollution of water bodies, the shutdown of water treatment facilities, and ongoing intimidation by illegal miners continue to impact communities, yet these issues were not adequately captured during the discussions.
“The water pollution in communities, the shutdown of water treatment facilities and all of that is not representative of what we heard today. So whatever the government says it is doing it is about time we see it reflect in the true state of affairs on the ground,” Bosu added.
The stakeholder meeting was part of broader national efforts to engage civil society and environmental groups in shaping policy and accountability mechanisms around illegal mining.
Source: citinewsroom.com
