The Chancellor of the University of Cape Coast, Sam Esson Jonah has bemoaned the negative impact of the activities of illegal mining popularly known as galamsey on Ghana's public health system.

According to the astute businessman, the canker has placed the nation's health system in its worst form.

Speaking at the 2023 Annual General Conference of the Pharmaceutical Society of Ghana in Takoradi on Wednesday, September 6, the former mining executive insisted that the menace has been allowed to fester due to "unwise plunder of greed and insanity."

Even though Mr. Jonah is not against small-scale mining, he added that he detests the irresponsible destruction of the country's natural resources.

“Illegal mining is without a doubt the worst onslaught on the public health of our nation. Let me be clear; I am not against small-scale mining. I am for wealth creation to lift each impoverished community, not health destruction in the unwise plunder of greed and insanity."

"I am for lawful labour for your legal tender. What I am against is the manner in which the laws of the country are flouted with impunity to destroy water bodies and the environment for the many so that just a few people can make money,” he said.

He thus urged the Minerals Commission to sit up and execute its mandate appropriately.

“Like corruption, illegal mining is not about the lack of laws but the will to enforce the laws. The law is very clear, you cannot mine within a certain proximity of a water body. The law is very clear about how you dispose of your waste from your mining activities. The law is very clear on lawful activities in forest reserves."

"The law is also very clear; foreigners cannot engage in small-scale mining. And for those who are licensed, the law requires regular reporting to the Minerals Commission, which is expected to be monitoring activities. So, in the age of drones, the Minerals Commission should be capable of monitoring all mining activities in real-time,” he added.

Meanwhile, President Akufo-Addo recently touted the achievements his government has chalked with the ban on illegal mining in the country.

According to him, the ban on the menace has helped the country reduce its carbon emissions.

Addressing the 2023 Africa Climate Summit in Nairobi, Kenya, he said over 20,000 Ghanaians have been employed to plant trees to help the country restore degraded lands.

He indicated that the aim is to sustain the positive results the government has achieved in this endeavour and same will not be reneged upon.

“We placed a ban on illegal mining the phenomenon we call galamsey which was destroying our water bodies, vegetation and our forest. Some 20, 000 young people have been engaged to plant more than 30 million trees in two years to create jobs and restore degraded lands.”