Environmental journalist with The Multimedia Group, Erastus Asare Donkor, is advocating for extensive research into the harmful repercussions of illegal small-scale mining on the health of women and children.

According to him, his investigative work in the trade known as 'galamsey' shows a direct link between the canker and poor maternal health of mothers and their unborn children.

Mr Donkor's documentary in 2023 titled ‘Poisoned for Gold' shed light on how illegal miners also use mercury to collect gold, exposing residents to danger.

Speaking at the University of Ghana, the journalist recounted how the harrowing images of stillborn babies in galamsey areas with deformities.

"During my work at Asankragwa, I found another case. This one had just one leg, no anus, no sex organs, and all signs point to just one thing: galamsey. Asankragwa is a major galamsey point, and the major rivers there are highly polluted," he noted.

"What I'm trying to see is that there is an established link. All these things are coming from the galamsey belt," he added.

The documentary story raised eyebrows across the country reigniting calls for drastic measures to be taken to address the canker.

It came up during a panel discussion as part of the UG's 2024 Day of Renaissance of Africa on Friday, June 28, 2024.

Addressing the gathering, he stressed the urgent need for nationwide research to determine the extent of contamination and its impact on women's health.

Mr Asare Donkor called for the involvement of academia and all necessary stakeholders in conducting thorough research to gather data, which can then be used to formulate effective policies.

"It is high time we treat this as very urgent. We need to bring academia and all necessary stakeholders to do proper research, find data, and use the data to implement policies that will work for all of us," he emphasised.

The event that formed part of the University of Ghana's 3rd successive DRSA celebrations was chaired by the Vice Chancellor, Prof Nana Aba Appiah Amfo.

Prof Afo insisted that in order to "thrive in a healthy environment it is imperative that we addressed the menace of galamsey with urgency and determination."

Also delivering keynote presentations were Prof Benedicta Fosu-Mensah from UG's Institute of Environment and Sanitation Studies and Prof Benedict Nii Laryea Calys-Tagoe from the UG Medical School.

It was on the theme; 'Galamsey: Preserving Our Environment, Protecting Our Future.'

The event brought together experts and stakeholders to tackle the challenges posed by illegal small-scale mining, and to propose solutions to mitigate its harmful effects on the environment and public health.

DSRA, instituted by AU is celebrated on June 30, each year to remind African governments and their people of the critical roles played by science and technology in national development.