The University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) has issued an urgent call for a comprehensive nationwide ban on mining and prospecting for gold and other minerals in forest reserves, farms, and rivers. This appeal is in response to the devastating environmental degradation caused by rampant illegal mining activities, which have resulted in widespread destruction of the country’s natural resources.
UTAG is pressing the government to take immediate action to address this growing crisis. In a statement released on Monday, September 9, UTAG noted that numerous scholars have criticized the government’s efforts to combat illegal mining (galamsey) as ineffective and corrupt, amounting to failed militarized attempts.
In an interview with Happy Kaseɛbɔ, UTAG President at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Prof. Eric Abavare warned that if the current trend of environmental degradation continues, Ghana may be compelled to import water in as little as six years. He lamented that UTAG has taken a firm and permanent stance against illegal mining (galamsey) and vows to utilize all constitutionally available means to enforce compliance. This decision comes after government-led initiatives, such as Operation Vanguard and Operation Flashout, have proven to be resounding failures in combating the issue.
Prof. Eric Abavare expressed disappointment that both the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC), have failed to effectively address the issue of galamsey, using it only as a political tool to gain power without taking concrete actions to combat it. He urged opinion leaders, youth, chiefs, and elders from affected communities to unite and take collective action against galamsey, transcending political affiliations to tackle the issue. He’s calling for collective action to protect Ghana’s resources, secure the future of its youth, and pave a sustainable path for development.