The sight of once-pristine rivers now coffee coloured as a result of illegal mining triggers nightmares for Elizabeth Vaah. Vaah, an environmentalist, wants government to do more to halt this practice which is degrading the environment.

Earlier this week galamsey topped the social media trends after President Akufo-Addo tasked the military to arrest any person and seize logistics found on Ghana's water bodies perpetrating the crime.

Many social media users are concerned about how the effort to combat this crime is dragging with no hope of overcoming the canker in sight.

But some citizens have decided they will not be spectators are taking the initiative in a bid to help this cause.

One of such persons is Elizabeth Vaah who has endorsed the President's determination to ensure that illegal mining is halted. She has started a petition to get 5000 people to support her efforts.

Speaking on Joy News Interactive with Mapitso Sebidi, Vaah said she is heartbroken at the current state of the river bodies, “Looking at the rivers alone gives me nightmares…we are failing our country and some of us can’t sleep, ’’ she says.

In her petition, she demanded that government halts the provision of licenses for the prospecting of gold, bauxite or any other minerals in forest reserves and within 20 kilometres of water bodies in all parts of the country.

She also demanded that “The President, his government, with oversight from Parliament must prepare and implement a comprehensive plan for the reclamation and rehabilitation of all the rivers, lagoons and land that have been destroyed by Galamsey.”

Add your voice to the fight against illegal mining by signing the petition: Stop Galamsey devastation in Rural Ghana.

#EndGalamseyNow was trending on twitter with social media users wanting an end to this menace.

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