The Centre for Climate Change and Food Security (CCCFS) is adding to the growing calls for a ban on small-scale mining both legal and illegal activities.

Labour unions including the University Teachers’ Association have threatened civil disobedience to clamour for stringent actions by the government against the mining activities.

In a statement, the CCCFS projects that the country is heading for an “ecological catastrophe” with dire consequential threats to socioeconomic well-being. 

“At this rate, Ghana is likely going to be inhabitable for humans in the next few years - since all the basic essentials for sustaining human life is being destroyed by galamsey,” the statement read.

There are been reports of baby deformities, forest losses, soil and water bodies with heavy metal contaminations owing to the mining activities.

Despite the situation aggravating over the years, the CCCFS believes the situation could be salvaged from exacerbating.

They want immediate and decisive measures devoid of partisan politics to halt the environmental crisis. 

“Even though the problem has drenched deep, we can still salvage the situation if immediate and decisive steps, influenced solely by an ultimate national, rather partisan political interest, are taken to stop the monstrosity.

The statement continued;” It is unspeakable to think that the State, with its enormous powers, cannot stop this dangerous phenomenon that threatens the very existence of Ghana as a viable nation-state”. 

The centre is admonishing the youth not to cite unemployment as a reason for their involvement in the act that harms the environment but rather find decent alternative income streams.

“Also, it's important to caution the youth, and those involved in galamsey, who use unemployment as a pretext to engage in it, to note that the very things they are destroying for gold are irreplaceable. No amount of earnings can replace water, soil, air, food, etc. We implore the youth to turn to other ventures that are more sustainable for income, and desist from engaging in galamsey - which is nothing but a ticking time bomb,” the statement read.

They also prevailing on the traditional leaders to intensify efforts against the illegal miners including confiscation of lands and mining equipment.

The centre is demanding that the government declares a state of emergency and fight the menace vehemently with stricter law enforcement.

“In short, there must be a conscious class action, civil disobedience, positive defiance, amongst other legitimate means to combat the canker. We call on government to declare a STATE OF EMERGENCY immediately and approach the issue with an iron fist of the law.

"Anymore dillydallying will exacerbate the already dire situation, and fast track our irreversible acceleration to doom,” the statement added.