Chairman Odeneho Kwaku Appiah (COKA), former Constituency Chairman for Afigya Kwabre South, has expressed deep concerns over the surge in illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey, during the administration of former President John Dramani Mahama.
COKA alleged that galamsey operations intensified under the Mahama-led National Democratic Congress (NDC) government, leading to severe environmental destruction. He said numerous rivers and streams were polluted to the point of becoming unsafe for human use.
“Our water bodies were so polluted they became undrinkable,” he said, alleging that individuals within the NDC were complicit in the galamsey operations that caused the damage.
COKA further asserted that no member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) would have been able to engage in such destructive mining activities under the watch of the NDC government, implying a lack of enforcement and oversight by the Mahama administration.
He also called on the media to play a more active role in combating illegal mining, emphasising that the issue goes beyond environmental damage and poses a significant public health risk.
“The media must do more to help protect our environment and change the situation,” he stated, calling on journalists to intensify their advocacy and investigations to expose those behind illegal mining activities.
COKA warned that if galamsey is not tackled decisively, more Ghanaians will continue to suffer from illnesses such as kidney and liver diseases due to polluted water sources.
