There is no better time than now to wield the big stick in the country’s fight against illegal mining, popularly called galamsey, which is not only causing destruction to our forests and river bodies, but has also claimed so many lives with the attendant grief.
The latest in the series of deaths is of two-and-a-half-year-old twins, a male and female, tragically lost their lives last week Thursday, after they fell into an abandoned galamsey pit filled with water, to the brim.
The Heart-Wrenching Incident Occurred At Morkwaa, A Farming Community Near Twifo Praso In The Twifo Atti-Morkwa District Of The Central Region.
We recall in July this year, precisely two months ago, tragedy hit Sefwi Akuraa in the Western Region, where the lifeless body of a three-year-old girl was found in an illegal mining pit. This is a stark reminder of the devastating consequences of this illegal activity.
This newspaper is surprised that this worrisome and avoidable tragedies have not spurred the government to action in such a way that would have pushed it to declare a state of emergency on galamsey.
However, and in spite of the lack of action by the government, the greed of Ghanaians, as well as their foreign counterpart, especially Chinese nationals, we are want to believe that, if those who leave the pits after their activities are held accountable, things might just change.
We are miffed that government and other concerned stakeholders continue to ignore this situation that unfolds right before everyone‘s eyes claiming dozens of innocent lives, when proper planning, strict oversight and adherence to regulations could have prevented the calamities.
As a newspaper, we are worried that the government is behaving like ostrich, with its head to the ground, in terms of tackling the issues surrounding illegal mining in the country.
Death as a result of abandoned mining pits, have become a recurrent situation that, the government must take decisive action against.
A lot has been said and written about illegal mining, including video and pictorial evidence, about the devastating effect it is having on our forests and water bodies.
The Ghana Water Company, has also been forced to sound the alarm bells, regarding its inability to treat the waters that are heavily polluted.
As we reflect on these tragedies, it is imperative that we mobilise our collective efforts to end the menace of galamsey.
