Tackling galamsey fight should begin in schools – Nana Dwomoh Sarpong

The President of the Friends of Rivers and Waterbodies, Nana Dwomoh Sarpong, has called for Ghana’s fight against illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey, to begin in the nation’s schools.

Speaking on UTV’s Ade Akye Bia morning show on Thursday, October 16, 2025, Nana Sarpong expressed concern about the increasing involvement of young children in illegal mining activities, warning that the trend poses a serious threat to the country’s future.

“The fight should begin in the schools. It is sad because now very young children are at the sites doing galamsey. Someone told us recently that children in galamsey-prone areas are always in a hurry to close from school so they can go to the sites.

“We are destroying our future and the children’s future as well. Because the children don’t know the right path, that’s why the Bible says we should train a child in the way he should go,” he lamented.

Nana Sarpong urged the government to adopt sustainable solutions to address youth unemployment, which he said drives many young people into illegal mining.

“The nation can engage businessmen to build more companies to employ the children if they need jobs, not galamsey. Allowing people to engage in illegal mining for vote-buying is enough. Let us now fight it,” he stressed.

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He further appealed to government appointees and regulatory bodies to take a stronger stance against the menace.

“We plead with government appointees to work diligently to curb this canker. The ministry, commission, EPA, and all other agencies should join the fight,” he added.

On the environmental impact, Nana Sarpong warned that galamsey is contaminating food crops and water bodies, posing grave health risks to citizens.

“Our foods are being poisoned because of galamsey. Some of the vegetables are becoming poisonous due to these activities.

“That is what the EPA should be investigating now. I have worked with the Soil and Forest Research Institute in forest reserves, and we will make our research public so people understand the harm being done,” he added.

@officialutvghana

Nana Dwomoh Sarpong warns of Food Poisoning threat from Galamsey Activities #UTVGhana

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