The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, has issued a clarion call to prominent professional bodies in Ghana, including the Ghana Bar Association (GBA), the Ghana Medical Association (GMA), and the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG), to maintain their strong stance against illegal mining activities.
These activities continue to wreak havoc on major water bodies and the environment, posing a significant threat to the nation’s ecological balance and the well-being of its citizens.
His remarks come on the heels of recent statements from UTAG, GMA, and GBA, condemning illegal mining and advocating for a comprehensive ban on both small-scale and illegal mining practices.
Otumfuo Osei Tutu II commended the President of the Ghana Bar Association for his bold stance against illegal mining and urged leaders of other influential groups to take similar action, emphasizing the need for collective effort to combat this environmental menace.
The Asantehene reiterated that illegal mining, also known as galamsey, is a major environmental enemy that requires a unified response from all sections of society. He questioned the legal system’s response to individuals who pollute water bodies, emphasizing the need for severe consequences to serve as a deterrent.
He posed a thought-provoking question: “If an individual poisoned the water supply of a community, they would face severe consequences under the law. What does the law do when someone pours mercury into the same water supply, knowing fully well it can kill?”
Otumfuo Osei Tutu II shared a troubling personal experience during a visit to Cape Coast, where he witnessed the severe pollution of the River Pra. He described the situation as embarrassing and emphasized the need for collective action to address the crisis. “As a nation, we cannot afford to live with this situation.
We must fight it with all our might. The future of our country depends on it.”
The Asantehene called on the professional bodies to collaborate and take concrete steps to address the emergency.
He suggested that the Ghana Bar Association, the medical association, and the university should come together to deal with the crisis, possibly by setting up a panel to undertake a quick tour of affected communities and deliberate on how the laws should respond. He emphasized that the time for action is now, and that doing nothing is no longer an option.
