Eco-Conscious Citizens and several environmental groups and individuals have co-signed a letter to the Deputy Minister of Lands and Natural Resources Hon. George Mireku-Duker, applauding the fact that he recently urged those involved in Community Mining not to destroy cocoa farms with their mining activities.
They however also ask the government’s Community Mining programme to be paused, because it is clear there is no robust monitoring or enforcement of sanctions in place. And until this is in place, their activities are no better than those of the illegal miners, known as galamseyers.
The co-signees include farmers and environmentalists in Sefwi Atronsu and Mantukwa, two areas where the Minerals Commission has granted Community Mining licences. Eco-Conscious Citizens and Ghana Environmental Advocacy Group have been supporting groups from these areas in their opposition to Community Mining, which among other things, they fear will pollute their local waters.
The full letter follows:
Hon. George Mireku-Duker,
We the undersigned welcome your statement that cocoa farms should not be destroyed for mining activities.
Indeed our Environment and Water Bodies should not be destroyed for mining or other purposes. We, therefore, invite you to join the Eco-Conscious Citizens Family,, especially our families at:
1. Mantukwa in the Embelle district. Their cocoa farms, Nrem stream and livelihoods face destruction from community mining.
2. Sefwi Atronsu in the Western North region who are campaigning to protect their cocoa farms, pristine Atronsu stream and their livelihood from Community Mining which in practical terms is just as destructive as Galamsey.
Since your Ministry is responsible for Lands and Natural Resources, we respectfully urge you to seriously consider the potential for Land and Natural Resources to be used to generate sustainable jobs which do not injure health or destroy the Environment.
There must be a pause on Community Mining until we have a non-destructive process for extracting minerals. We must protect our Environment and future generations and protect the health of the People. Our forests have a monetary value, as carbon sinks and provide a non-destructive source of income.
Community Mining, which many believe is legalised Galamsey, is destructive and unsustainable. Ancient ways of mining didn’t poison the Environment in a quest for quick money. We need to stop the destruction and develop the Green Economy, which values the natural Environment, creates sustainable jobs whilst protecting the health of the Community.
The Green Economy is a viable alternative to the current destructive activity in our towns and villages and benefits from carbon sinks for example should be vigorously explored.
Any funds received from maintaining our existing forests and creating new ones should be invested in the local communities.
The much needed role of Forest Guardian can be created giving young people in the area jobs, knowledge and an income from protecting the natural Environment from destruction.
The current mining monitoring regime is weak and mining is destroying the landscape and poisoning our water bodies. The principle that Polluter Pays is not vigorously enforced. The result is damaged landscapes, pits left as death traps, destroyed cocoa farms, poisoned soil, polluted water and a legacy of kidney damage, liver problems and birth defects.
We call on you to use your good offices to protect the Environment, by revoking the Community Mining licences in Sefwi Atronsu, Mantukwa and other communities, as they are a clear and present danger to the People’s welfare.
Signed
Awula Serwah
Eco-Conscious Citizens Founder/Coordinator
