Some residents of Samreboi in the Western Region are shocked to learn of the devastating health effects of illegal mining.
This was after the first public viewing in the community. joy news documentary ‘Poisoned for Gold” was produced by Erastus Asare Donkor.
In a town surrounded by degraded forests and the heavily polluted Tano River, residents lament the negative impact the threat is having on their lives.
In an interview with joy newsSome residents said, “After nine months of pregnancy, it is painful to learn that galamsey contamination could cause deformities in my child.” It’s sad, is not it. ”
Another resident lamented, “It’s sad to give birth to a child with one leg and so many complications.”
Some residents blamed a lack of political will on the part of chiefs and governments in the fight against earworms.
“The government should take greater responsibility for the threat. We have all seen the damage caused by the Akonta mining in this town. Who is the Akonta miner? He is a member of the nuclear power government. Isn’t it? If he didn’t have that power, could he do what he has done in this town?” a resident asked.
They are demanding more from chiefs and community leaders to enforce the law and lead campaigns to stop illegal mining.
Some opinion leaders who attended the viewing of the documentary also called for the arrest of the chiefs who allowed their land to be used by ‘galamsey’.
Dr. Yusif Tijani, a physician at Samra Tech Hospital, stressed the need for a serious and comprehensive approach to combating illegal small-scale mining (galamsey) nationwide.
“I think if we are going to leave the land contaminated to the point where it affects unborn children, we have to be very sensitive to work together to fight the ‘galamsey’ threat,” he said.
The “Poison for Gold” community tour is part of the USAGM Media Project on Natural Crime in Ghana, supported by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Oceans, International Environmental Sciences, Office of Conservation Water.
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