The Ghana Veterinary Medical Association (GVMA) has joined calls to condemn the devastating impact of illegal mining (Galamsey) on water bodies and forest reserves, describing the act as backward and insensitive.

According to them, Ghana is now a laughing stock in the eyes of the international community due to persistent galamsey and its related corrupt activities.

It stated that there is no justification whatsoever that warrants the continuity of these heinous acts which benefit only a few individuals especially those in the political class and traditional authority.

In a statement issued by the association, it said galamsey activities not only affect the water bodies and forest reserves but also threaten food security and sustainable economic growth in the long term. 

It stated that the health risks associated with these impermissible acts are so serious that it is surprising to see leaders who claim to have the nation at heart not doing enough to curb this menace.

“Additionally, Ghana is a country that is a signatory to various international conventions or treaties on biodiversity conservation, environmental protection, and climate change, for which our leaders attend various national and international conferences or workshops at the expense of the taxpayer at any given opportunity. 

“It is, therefore, surprising to observe that these people are promoting or turning a blind eye to illegal mining activities that are causing irreparable destruction to our forest reserves and water bodies by granting entry permits for the so-called prospecting for gold in these ecologically sensitive areas,” part of the statement read. 

The Association noted that the ecosystem services are enormous and are so important that the continuous destruction of them will come back to hurt the citizenry and the unborn generations in the long run. 

It further stressed that a country that taunts itself as the gateway to Africa and a cocoa and timber production hub, should not be seen to be condoning such illegal activities that are depleting these important resources that have sustained the economy and prosperity of this country for several decades. 

“As a body responsible for providing the health care and welfare needs of both domestic and wild animal species in Ghana as well as a key partner in promoting public health (One Health) and biodiversity conservation in this country, the GVMA cannot keep quiet for galamsey to continuously destroy the ecosystem which we share with these poor animals especially wildlife species for survival. 

“It is very disappointing that despite some scary evidence presented by renowned scientists on pollution and heavy metals contamination related health risks including pathological conditions such as neurological signs, cardiovascular diseases, and birth defects, the Ghanaian authorities have not attached any seriousness to these findings,” the Association said. 

They further said that Ghana and its development partners spend so much on activities such as “Green Ghana Day,” an initiative by the Forestry Commission aimed at planting trees to replenish lost vegetation across the country. 

However, they said it is sad and intriguing to observe that as the country struggles to grow and nurture these trees, we are, at the same time, destroying what nature has already blessed the nation with. 

“In light of this, we support the call on the Executive and Parliament of Ghana to take steps to immediately repeal LI 2462, which permits mining in forest reserves. This is because it is clear that our authorities are not committed to regulating such activities to benefit the nation in any way. 

“We therefore, urge the President, His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and his government, the Parliament of Ghana, the Judiciary, the Forestry Commission, the EPA, our revered traditional authorities, religious groups, the security agencies, the media, and the general public to come together to do the needful to bring these activities to an IMMEDIATE halt for the sake of posterity and sustainable nation building,” the statement added.