The University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) has announced plans to implement a series of actions to compel the government to step up the fight against illegal mining, commonly known as galamsey.

The Association has raised concern over the persistent destruction of the environment, particularly the pollution of water bodies and the depletion of forest reserves, which it says the government must be held accountable for.

Speaking to the media, UTAG’s newly elected President, Dr. Ivy Fiador, revealed that the Association will soon unveil concrete measures designed to push for stronger government intervention.

“Water is an essential thing, and that is what we drink. Now it may look like it is far away from us. In a few years, we are likely to be battling more diseases than we normally would. Already, as a nation, we are financially challenged,” she said.

Dr. Fiador cautioned that while galamsey may appear to create short-term employment, the long-term environmental and economic costs far outweigh any immediate gains.

“When you juxtapose the cost of restoring degraded lands and polluted water bodies with the supposed employment benefits, you realise that the net present value is negative in the long run,” she added.

The UTAG President emphasised that illegal mining poses a grave threat to public health and the country’s economic stability if left unchecked.

Meanwhile, President John Dramani Mahama is expected to meet with over 60 civil society organisations on Friday, October 3, to discuss collaborative strategies to tackle the galamsey menace.