ACCRA – A founding member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr. Nyaho Nyaho-Tamakloe, has issued a stark warning about the destructive effects of illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey, urging Ghanaians to take immediate action to stop the environmental and social devastation.
“For years, I have spoken about the dangers of galamsey, and today I must speak again, louder and clearer: illegal mining is destroying Ghana, and we cannot afford to look away any longer,” Dr. Nyaho-Tamakloe said.
He described witnessing firsthand the damage wrought on Ghana’s rivers, forests, and farmlands.
“The Pra, Birim, Ankobra, and countless others have turned into lifeless streams of mud and poison. Communities that once drank clean water now depend on polluted, toxic rivers. Farmers who once tilled fertile land now stand on wastelands scarred by reckless mining,” he said.
Dr. Nyaho-Tamakloe warned that galamsey is not only destroying the environment but also endangering public health and social stability.
“Communities in mining zones are now reporting rising cases of skin diseases, waterborne infections, and even new kidney cases, spread through the influx of transient workers. Pregnant women and children are drinking contaminated water, with long-term effects on their health,” he noted.
He also raised concerns about food safety, highlighting that toxic chemicals used in galamsey operations have entered the food chain.
“Fish, vegetables, and staple crops are being poisoned, creating a silent epidemic of food contamination. Ghanaians are unknowingly eating poison every day because of galamsey. This is not speculation—this is happening now,” he said.
Describing galamsey as a “cancer destroying our country,” Dr. Nyaho-Tamakloe called out political interference, corruption, and selective justice as the main reasons the menace continues unabated.
“I have also made it clear that the Ghana Armed Forces have the capacity to stop galamsey within a week—if only politicians would keep their hands off the process,” he stated.
He proposed a series of urgent measures to combat the menace:
- Declare galamsey a national emergency, treating it with the urgency of a disaster.
- Depoliticise enforcement, allowing security services to operate without interference.
- Hold everyone accountable, from financiers to chiefs to politicians.Ghana Tourism Guide
- Restore the land and rivers through reclamation and reforestation.
- Provide alternative livelihoods for youth who resort to galamsey out of desperation.
- Ensure transparency in licensing and empower the public to hold leaders accountable.
Dr. Nyaho-Tamakloe appealed to all Ghanaians—citizens, chiefs, journalists, civil society actors, and faith leaders—to speak out against galamsey. “Silence is complicity. Neutrality is betrayal,” he said.
He also called on the international community to provide support through tangible action, funding, and accountability mechanisms rather than empty words.
Source: citinewsroom.com
