Mahama urges stakeholders to stay committed to galamsey fight as water bodies show recovery
President John Dramani Mahama has urged all stakeholders involved in the fight against illegal mining, commonly referred to as galamsey, not to relent, pointing to emerging evidence that efforts to reclaim polluted water bodies are yielding results.
He made the call while addressing participants at the University of Ghana’s annual New Year School conference. The President shared that during the Christmas holidays, he visited Crown Forest with his family for a quiet break away from the festive rush.
During the visit, he said he noticed significant changes in the Ayensu River, which runs close to communities that had previously suffered extensive damage from illegal mining.
“…The Environmental Protection Agency, all of those involved in the fight against illegal and mining, please don’t give up. There are some positive results beginning to show,” he said.
Mr Mahama noted that just six months earlier, the river had been heavily polluted, taking on a dark, coffee-like appearance associated with mining waste. However, he observed that the water had since become clearer, likening its current colour to light milo. He attributed this improvement to the combined efforts of the Environmental Protection Agency, the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS), and river guards who carried out operations upstream to halt illegal mining activities.
“…We appreciate the work that NAIMOS and the river guards are doing. Apparently the river guards had operated upstream where the mining was taking place and so it had changed the colour of the water. So that is why I am encouraging you to keep up the fight and even strengthen it,” he added.
