YOU ARE DESTROYING LIVES OF FARMERS, WHILST YOU CELEBRATE FARMERS’ DAY- GROUP

As Ghana prepares to mark Farmers Day, Eco-Conscious Citizens Environmental Group has noted that
we continue to pay lip service to the welfare of farmers and fishermen.
“The hypocrisy is astonishing. With one hand, we claim to value fishermen and farmers, and with the
other hand, we are actively involved or complicit in the destruction of farmlands and the livelihood of
farmers,” the group has stated.
This was contained in a press release dated November 7, 2024.
Eco-Conscious Citizens Environmental Group alleged that 2 million peasant farmers are at risk of losing
their livelihood due to the activities of illegal miners. To make matters worse, persons purporting to
have community mining licences are destroying farmlands and polluting water bodies.
“Agriculture is indeed the backbone of Ghana's economy, supporting thousands of households.
However, the sector faces significant threats from inadequate investment and illegal mining activities. If
left unchecked, farming will become increasingly frustrating and unproductive, ultimately leading to
widespread abandonment,” says Bismarck Tetteh, executive director of Peasant Farmers Association of
Ghana.
“The consequences would be catastrophic, plunging the nation into food insecurity. To avoid this crisis,
it's imperative that the government takes immediate action. This includes boosting agricultural
investment, enforcing laws against illegal mining, and implementing policies that promote sustainable
farming practices. By doing so, the government can safeguard the livelihoods of numerous Ghanaians
who depend on agriculture for their survival. Peasant Farmers Stands against illegal mining.”
“We face an existential threat from illegal mining, but the current administration and the opposition
parties appear more focused on empowering small scale miners, than on protecting farmlands and the
livelihood of farmers and fishermen. They appear to ignore food security concerns.
“The false narrative is that we get over $5.9 bilion from mining. Even if that were the case, is it sensible
to destroy our forest reserves, poison our water bodies, landscape, farmlands and food chain leading to
a rise in kidney disease, cancers, maternal deaths, still births, and birth defects?
“The facts are that Ghana's gold revenue in 2023 was $5.9 billion, BUT mining firms repatriated $4.2
billion.
“Ghana, however received $4.6 billion in remittances and generated $3.9 billion from non-traditional
exports.
“We urge government to mark Farmers Day with a genuine commitment to protecting the livelihood of
fishermen and farmers and safeguarding our farmlands. As a sage once said: we cannot eat gold.
“We should invest in creating Green Jobs which protect the environment, rather than focus on mining.
“We renew our call to all political parties to sign up to reclaiming and restoring water bodies, farmlands
and forests, and uphold the Polluter Pays Principle:
• Deploy the Police and Military to remove all miners and mining equipment from our water bodies,
forest reserves and farmlands.
• Repeal L.I. 2462 and ensure that there is no mining or logging in forest reserves or globally significant
biodiversity areas.
• Pause Small Scale/Community Mining and stop issuing licences.
• Cause environmental terrorists and all persons named in Prof. Frimpong Boateng's report to be
investigated.