Galamsey: “We're gradually signing our death warrant”— Eco-Conscious Citizens calls on gov’t to take action on Prof Frimpong report

Eco-Conscious Citizens coordinator, Awula Serwah is calling on the government of Ghana to take action on Professor Kwabena Frimpong Boateng’s leaked galamsey report.

The Eco-citizens coordinator is urging Ghanaians to pile pressure on the government to attach the report with a level of seriousness.

In response to a question after a press briefing held on Monday, June 5, 2023 at the Asanteson Gardens, Accra, she stated,“ We are calling on Ghanaians, there is a lot of things we can do, we can decide to down our tools until the government decides to take some action either on the documentary or Professor Frimpong Boateng’s report which is a very good report, there is a lot of information in it and it seems that no action is being taken, if action isn’t taken, we are soon going to sign our death warrant, this is a very serious situation.”

She noted that illegal mining activities popularly called galamsey have destroyed forest reserves, waterbodies and farmlands as food crops are no longer safe for basic consumption due to chemical pollution.

“When our waterbodies are being poisoned, poison has reached our waterbodies, our fish and even we are told oranges in mining areas, they are high induced on mercury, we really need to act today,” Awula Serwah stated.

She further urged government to take steps on Prof. Frimpong Boateng's report which indicted several appointees of government for being deeply involved in the galamsey business that has destroyed the environment.

Background of Prof. Frimpong Boateng’s galamsey report

Former Minister of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, Prof Kwabena Frimpong Boateng exposed several top government appointees who were neck deep in illegal mining.

He revealed how his colleague ministers even derailed his efforts to root out the galamsey menace.

He added that most ministers who were supposed to serve on the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining (IMCIM) even abandoned the Committee and went about with their nefarious activities.

Professor Boateng’s claims are contained in his 36-page report addressed to the president, the Chief of Staff, and the police.