Executive Director of Eco-Conscious Citizens, Awula Serwah, has backed calls by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference for a state of emergency to tackle illegal mining, insisting that the declaration must be accompanied by decisive action.
Speaking to Isaac Addae on Morning Starr on Starr FM, she warned that Ghana was on the verge of an ecological catastrophe and could not afford further delays in addressing the menace.
She stressed that declaring a state of emergency must go beyond an announcement and result in concrete measures to halt illegal mining and protect the country’s water bodies and forest reserves.
“When the Catholic Bishops’ Conference is asking for a state of emergency, they don’t mean just go and make an announcement, ‘I declare a state of emergency.’ They are talking about action that follows a state of emergency,” she said.
Awula Serwah urged the government to deploy available resources, including the Armed Forces, Navy and Air Force, to combat illegal mining and rid the country of the menace.
“We need to end it now. No excuses. No ifs, no buts. Just end it,” she stressed.
READ: Galamsey: ‘We’re concerned about criminals’ livelihoods, not farmers’ – Awula Serwah
She cited Jema as an example of community-led resistance to illegal mining, noting that residents, traditional leaders and community advocates had united to protect the area through regular patrols.
According to her, the approach could be replicated in other communities if there was sufficient political will to tackle illegal mining and safeguard the country’s natural resources.
Awula Serwah also raised concerns about reported plans for mining or exploration in the Draw River Forest Reserve, disclosing that local youth had reached out to her for support in protecting the area from further environmental destruction.
Story By: Pamela Quayson
