A young protester addressing a vigil at Revolution Square in Accra on Sunday evening made an emotional plea for illegal mining, or galamsey, to be stopped immediately.

The gathering was held ahead of a planned march against the environmental destruction caused by galamsey.

The boy identified himself as “DD” and explained the meaning behind the name. Introducing his remarks, he told the crowd he was frightened for his life and for the future of Ghana’s rivers and wildlife.

“The meaning of DD is Desperate Desmond and the reason why I am desperate is because of galamsey. And I want galamsey to be stopped. So please, I want galamsey to stop, help us,” he said.

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He warned of the human cost of polluted water and begged national leaders to act.

“If we drink the galamsey water, we will die, and I am afraid to die, and I don’t want to die. I am too young to die. So the president should help us, I don’t want to die right now, I want to live long,” he told the crowd.

The youngster also spoke about the wider environmental damage, saying animals and fish were being driven away by contaminated waterways.

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“We have a lot of animals and a lot of living things, nice fishes, a lot of animals. If the galamsey water spoils them, we can’t see them again. We won’t even see fish to eat. We can’t even swim in the water bodies again, so please galamsey should stop.

“Stop galamsey now! Save and protect the children, stop galamsey now!”

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