The 14th National President of the Private Universities Students Association of Ghana (PUSAG), Alswel Annan, has described galamsey as the single greatest threat to Ghana’s national security.

The repercussions of galamsey alone send shivers of fear down his spine.

With the degradation of land and water resources the major effects of galamsey, Alswel sees galamsey as a far greater threat as compared to unemployment.

“I will treat illegal mining as the greatest national security crisis in Ghana now. For me, that’s the greatest threat because of the repercussions associated to it. When you visit mining areas to assess the damage, you will understand that unemployment is not the greatest national security threat,” he told host, Sefah-Danquah on the maiden edition of e.tv Ghana’s Campus Dialogue, themed; ‘Ghana’s Fight Against Illegal Small Scale Mining’.

Alswel is scared Ghana will soon be importing drinking water if the fight against galamsey is not treated with all seriousness. Also, he expressed concerns over health implications people living in galamsey areas suffer.

With these concerns at heart, he called for the de-politicization of the fight against galamsey, arguing the entire Ghana will suffer the consequences of galamsey irrespective of political affiliations.

To him, perpetrators should be made to face the full rigors of the law. “There are laws on illegal mining and I dare say anyone who engages in illegal mining must be punished as a deterrent to others. We don’t even need a committee to tackle this menace.”

The mining of minerals has contributed enormously to most African countries’ economies. However, the activities involved in these sectors have turned to hunt our environment and human life due to the lack of regulation in this sector.

Notable negativities associated with artisanal and small scale mining include: loss of mineral revenue through smuggling, food insecurity, destruction to surface and underground water through toxic contamination and pollution caused by mud and sediments, air and noise pollution and destruction of biodiversity, including the natural flora and fauna and water species. Death, injuries, respiratory and skin diseases, noise-induced hearing loss, physical and psychological stress, malaria, and HIV are among the common legacies of illegal mining.