Ghanaian investigative journalist, Erastus Asare Donkor, has described the fight against illegal mining colloquially called galamsey as a failure.
He also accuses the governing New Patriotic Party led by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo of prioritizing profits over human lives.
“Maybe, this particular government [the NPP] seeks to make money out of our lives,” he lamented on Good Morning Ghana on Metro TV on Friday, August 16.
“The more they destroy the environment, the more they destroy our lives… it’s a shame,” Erastus told Randy Abbey.
Seven regions have been scarred, with 34 forest reserves bearing the brunt of the damage.
The Apamprama forest, once a lush haven, is now under siege, with 50% of its land ravaged by galamsey. The toll is staggering: 4,726 hectares of land laid waste, an area larger than a bustling city.
The consequences of galamsey go far beyond mere deforestation. Rivers are polluted, and deep holes pierce the earth, defying rehabilitation.
Despite efforts to curb the practice, illegal mining persists, fueled by corruption, unemployment, and greed.
“We have pumped so much money into a failing system,” Erastus Asare Donkor observed.
The renowned investigative journalist further accused the government of throwing roadblocks in the path of the fight against illegal mining.
“Government is burning excavators, but beside where they are burning excavators, there are people who are using their excavators to mine illegally and cannot be touched,” he said.
By: Vanessa Edotom Boateng | Metrotvonline.com | Ghana
Have a news story, press release, or opinion piece you’d like to share with our audience? We’d love to hear from you! Please reach out to us at editor@metrotvonline.com
