Let's fix the canker of galamsey

"We can’t solve it, we can’t fix it, we don’t have the locus and moral might to fix it ,we don’t have the Political will to fix it ,We just don’t want to fix it , We can’t tell the politicians and the big men to fix it”.

These were the very words of a friend who I had an interaction with on the incessant threat to our water bodies and environment by the activities of "Galamsey" . I asked of his view on the current "Galamsey" brouhaha and he gave me just that.

Truly, "Galamsey" is a canker, "Galamsey" is a disease which must be cured, "Galamsey" is a poison, "Galamsey" is a dangerous activity - Very dangerous to the future of a nation than even the danger and menace of corruption and other well-known activities which we categorize as corrupt acts and this makes it necessary for us to pay unrepentant attention to solving and finding a lasting solution to it.

Our environment is under the threat of the menace of "Galamsey" and it has become a concern to most Ghanaians. I was glad to see on social media designs by influential folks and agencies, starting a campaign on the need to end the menace of "Galamsey".

I was glad because I felt for once our authorities would listen to the cry of the citizens of the country.

Our authorities must fix it .We must fix it. We must make the eradication of "Galamsey" a concern and a priority.

We must see people who engage themselves in Galamsay as enemies of our society just the same way we treat people who engage themselves in an illegal and criminal activities.

I can’t fathom why we can glorify people who use illegal means to get money can be glorified when the activity itself is a threat and danger to the lives of the citizens of the country and the environment in general.

Our first major task in fighting against "Galamsey" should be the desire to end the public glorification of people who engage themselves in "Galamsey".

We must see such people as enemies of the society,enemies of the future of the conducive environment ,enemies of the safeness of our water bodies and enemies of the forward movement of our progress as a country.

When the pubic glorification stops, "Galamsey" will reduce because people who engage themselves in such an act will not have the moral support to engage themselves in it.

I was embarrassed when a young gentleman came with a video message as a form of a concern to the President of the Nation, Nana Addo Dankwa Akuffo Addo . The young gentleman emphasized that the President should not end the activities of "Galamsey".

The Gentleman said the President must not put measures in place to end the activities of "Galamsey" but must rather pay key attention to the challenges of the country instead of trying to listen to the public to end "Galamsey".

I disagree with the young gentleman ,I think he would have been arrested if he said that in another country ,especially in Tanzania.

Let's remember a musician was arrested just a fortnight ago for insulting or using harsh words against the President ,John Mugafuli in his song but the Gentleman would walk freely because Ghana is a country of freedom.

My problem with the video was with the attention that was given to it by the media and how such a video was allowed to spread across social media.

I don’t know whether it was to achieve a mischievous agenda of turning the public against the fight to end "Galamsey" but that surely didn’t work.

SODECI recently shut down a water treatment plant because of the levels of pollution in the Bia River, the authorities of Ivory Coast have as well complained bitterly of the pollution into their water bodies in Ivory Coast which have their source from Ghana.

The fight against "Galamsey" has reached the highest level and as such we must pay closer attention to it than we did before to save our environment and water bodies

Last week, I remember having an interaction with a young gentleman who is involved in the activities of "Galamsey".

We shared our views on the need to end "Galamsey" but he argued his case out that it was difficult to end "Galamsey" because of the powerful people who are involved in the act and I think his argument goes in the same direction with Hon Ofosu Asamoah ,Former Member of Parliament for Kade Constituency who revealed that some Members of Parliament ,chiefs and Police Officers are deeply involved in the activities of "Galamsey" making it a difficult battle to fight .

According to the former MP ,the deep involvement of stakeholders make the battle to end the activities of "Galamsey" a difficult battle to fight.

The Government Of Ghana can’t prevent "Galamsey" without the support of the People and the Chiefs.

The Government of Ghana will have the power to end "Galamsey" when the people rise up against the danger of the activities of "Galamsey".

We must understand that the battle to end it comes with our power to mobilize ourselves to prevent people from engaging themselves in such an act, by informing the government and authority of people who engage themselves in it, by reporting people who are deeply involved in the activities.

We must not fail to report high profile personalities who are the architect of "Galamsey" in our various societies. Let name them. Let report them and Let lead the fight against it. Let mobilize ourselves to end it for the future. The youth of every society must lead the fight against "Galamsey" in this country.

The Youth Must Rise Up

Asare Tinkaro

Former NUGS President, UG