Enemies of water

Water, they say do not have enemies but Ghana, a historic nation with its numerous water bodies and host of the world largest man-made lake by surface area, is an enemy of water. Because of the numerous benefits we enjoy from water including tourism, I thought if the rest of the world were contemplating on harming any 'piece of water,' the expectation is that Ghana would have been an exception.

Illegal mining popularly referred to as galamsey in Ghana has assumed the notorious status of a national pandemic. It is worrying that our water bodies are now a perfect source for 'quick suicide.' Experts say galamsey has become a public health concern because it has polluted our environment to the extent that the water we drink, the food we eat and the air we breathe now contain heavy metals.

Heavy metals are known for their toxicity. They can limit energy levels and damage the functioning of body organs including the brain, lungs, kidney, liver and blood composition... Heavy metals are also said to be a major contributor to several newborn deformities reported lately in galamsey operating areas.

Apart from the serious public health concerns, galamsey destroys the environment to such an extent that more dollars will be needed to restore our water bodies and the environment. This means we have to go for more loans and we cannot be assured it will be well utilized because of the corruption this government is known for.

This is a national crises we must not allow to continue. While we fight for its discontinuation, we must forcefully call out those whose silence or loudness have visited this havoc on our nation for their whimsical and capricious greed.

First, the Former Senior Minister under this administration, Yaw Osafo Maafo is known to have publicly declared that a Chinese loan is worthier than any effort aimed at the protection of our water bodies. The freeing of Chinese galamsey kingpin Aisha Huang was a trade-off for Chinese loan.

Osafo Maafo in a town hall meeting in the US explained; “We have a very good relationship with China. Today, the main company that is helping develop the infrastructure system in Ghana is Sinohydro, it is a Chinese Company. It is the one that is going to help process our bauxite and provide about $2 billion to us. So when there are these kinds of arrangements, there are other things behind the scenes.”

“Putting that lady in jail in Ghana is not going to solve your economic problems. It is not going to make you happy or me happy, that’s not important, the most important thing is that she has been deported out of Ghana,” he added.

There are also numerous stories of NPP bigwigs engaging and profiteering from the galamsey activities. Akonta Mining owned by NPP Ashanti Regional Chairman, Bernard Antwi-Boasiako also known as Wontumi was reported to be mining on the Tano Nimiri forest reserve without license.

The Media Coalition Against Galamsey (MCAG) led by Dr.Kenneth Ashigbey was not happy with the slow pace of investigation by the Ghana police on the Akonta mining saga and had this to say; “The needed urgency must be applied for the speedy prosecution of the director(s) of Akonta Mining Ltd, since there was ample evidence available for their prosecution.”

President Nana Addo has snubbed all calls for investigations and prosecution. He proceeded to defend Akonta Mining and Chairman Wontumi saying; “I want to assure you all that Akonta Mining is not engaged in any form of illegal mining anywhere in Ghana as we speak.” This is in sharp contrast to the admissions of the Lands Minister that the company actually engaged in galamsey.

The submissions of President Nana Addo in defense of Akonta Mining proves that no effort against galamsey will ever succeed. The president's declaration of putting his presidency on the line was artifice because he never meant it yesterday, today and tomorrow. Our love for water can never be restored under him.

Not only Akonta Mining but major actors of this government have been mentioned. President Nana Addo himself was mentioned by Al Jazeera as having dealt with a gold mafia to launder gold out of Ghana. One Mr Alistair Mathias is reported to say that he used to be the biggest smuggler in Ghana at one point, raking out about $40 million to $60 million worth of gold a month. He told Al Jazeera that President Nana Addo is a good friend and also acted as his lawyer. “Ghana’s President is a good friend of mine, in fact, he was my lawyer.”

The search for the missing excavators seized from galamseyers also led to several names of NPP bigwigs mentioned including Prof. Frimpomg Boateng, Ekow Ewusi, Charles Bissue and others. The names mentioned in the excavator scandal were those charged with the mandate to stop the menace. The NPP's legacy on galamsey promotion is bigger than the eyes can see and so our waters cannot be trusted on them.

All the galamsey instances mentioned above have cost our environment dearly and the bigwigs behind these have been left of the hook. Why must foreigners and other party bigwigs who destroyed our waters be left off the hook while ordinary wage workers sent to prison for galamsey offenses? Certainly the big fishes are spared to continue poisoning our waters while small ones are crashed and new set recruited for the galamsey business to continue.

Recent comments by key actors in the Bawumia campaign is a clear testimony that the NPP is willing to continue with galamsey activities if they win the 2024 elections. The NPP running mate, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh addressing chiefs and residents of Prestea Huni Valley and Mpohor in the Western Region, has promised to return seized excavators to galamseyers to continue their galamsey activities freely.

Additionally, the Middle Belt Campaign Coordinator for Dr. Bawumia, Dr. Ayew Afriyie has made it clear that the NPP will not stop galamsey. "So it is someone who is doing it so that we would go there and stop the galamseyers so that we lose our seats. We will not stop them today, we will not stop them tomorrow," The NPP have never shown any commitment and never will do.

Water is life and we cannot continue to be enemies of water mainly due to galamsey. We need to stop this and it has to be now. To do it, we must not accept sweet promises from wile mouths. Let us install leaders who have been there before and gave us clean water before now.