Ghana in Focus Special: illegal small scale mining (Galamsey) Part II - A genocide and Ecocide right before our very eyes

This week on Ghana in Focus, we delve deep into the escalating crisis caused by illegal small-scale mining, locally known as Galamsey. Despite various government interventions, a staggering three-quarters of Ghana's water sources are now contaminated with toxic chemicals such as arsenic, lead, mercury, and cyanide. The Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) currently struggles to purify water, with only 40% of the nation's water being treatable, down from 70% just two years ago. If this menace is not addressed, Ghana could face a dire water shortage in the near future.

The key areas most affected by illegal mining are the Western, Asante, Central, Eastern, and Bono regions of Ghana

The Shocking reality is that high ranking Government officials and Chinese nationals are complicit in this environmental disaster. Major rivers like the Pra, Offin, and Ankobra have been tragically contaminated, posing severe health risks to those who consume the toxic water. This crisis demands immediate collective action from all Ghanaians to combat the menace of Galamsey and safeguard our environment and food security. Stronger, more effective interventions are needed to protect our nation's future and prevent an ecological catastrophe.

We explore how Galamsey has led to the severe pollution of major rivers, leaving the Volta River as one of the few unpolluted sources. The health risks posed by drinking and bathing in toxic water are severe, with many people in mining areas developing cancer and other diseases. Immediate action is required, and Ghanaians must rise up against this eco-terrorism to prevent an impending water crisis.

We highlight the severe health consequences of consuming contaminated water. Babies are being born with severe deformities, and people are developing respiratory issues and cancer due to the toxic chemicals in the water. This situation is a form of terrorism, as poisoning water supplies can have deadly consequences.

The environmental impact of Galamsey is also devastating. Forests have been depleted, and farms have been ransacked to make way for illegal mining activities. The resulting ecocide has far-reaching consequences for Ghana's environment and food security.

In conclusion, the water crisis in Ghana is a ticking time bomb that demands immediate and collective action. Illegal small-scale mining has destroyed the country's water sources, posing severe health and environmental risks. Ghanaians must rise up against this eco-terrorism and demand stronger interventions to safeguard their water, health, and future.

Recommended watch: 

FULL VERSION OF POISONED FOR GOLD DOCUMENTARY - AN ERASTUS ASARE DONKO

Chapters

• 0:05 Illegal Small-Scale Mining Crisis in Ghana
• 13:10 Environmental Crisis in Ghana

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:05

and welcome to this week's edition of Ghana in Focus. Myself Kwame, ghanaian writer, broadcaster, journalist, podcaster and entrepreneur, and in this week's edition of Ghana in Focus, ghana in Focus Illegal Small-Scale Mining in Ghana Galamse, poison Rivers, genocide, eccleside Before Our Very Eyes so that's the theme for this week's podcast Illegal Small-Scale Mining in Ghana Galamse, poison Rivers, genocide, ecocide right before our very eyes. And so before we get into the podcast, just so you know that if you like what you hear, please share to your friends, family, social media networks. We are on Ghana African Fix on YouTube, so please subscribe there. We want to try and get about 200 subscribers by the end of the year, so please subscribe to Ghana African Fix podcast. Also subscribe to Ghana African Fix on Spotify. Just look out for Ghana African Fix on Spotify Click follow, meaning that you've been notified by Spotify. Just look out for Ghana Advocating Fix on Spotify click follow, meaning that you'll be notified by Spotify every time I upload a new podcast. Again, we want to get 800 followers by the end of the year. We're on 520 so far. So if you haven't subscribed, please do and tell your friends, family and social media networks.

Speaker 1: 1:45

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Speaker 1: 2:52

So let's get into this issue here, looking about illegal small-scale money in Ghana called GAMSE poison, water bodies, genocide, ecocide, right before our very eyes. So two years ago if you are a regular listener to the show, if you're a subscriber, I did a special on the effects of illegal small-scale mining of bananas. I'm saying Ghana, but today we're taking it one step further. We're actually telling you of the dire crisis now that, two years on from that podcast that Ghana is in right now concerning this illegal, small-scale mining, otherwise known in tree as Gallimsee, and so from that podcast two years ago, you know things have got a lot, lot worse in Ghana in terms of this menace called Gallimsee. Now, despite the president's attempt to rid Ghana of this menace, some say he hasn't really gone as far as he could have gone, should have gone, in terms of bringing the military in, and some there's even you know, some memories within society in Ghana that you know the president and those close to the president have some you know the president and those close to the president have some you know interest in Ghana Masei, which is why you know it is still waging on. But the truth of the matter is, you know, the president's attempt to negate this nuisance, this menace of saying Ghana has failed and because of this, now three quarters listeners, three quarters of Ghana's water bodies are poisoned. They've been poisoned for the last three to four years, but now it's really, really bad because two things. And before I get to that, just to make you aware that, um YouTube, they banned my um, last postcard that I did regarding monkeypox, because you know they are what they are, but you can get that on spotify because we tell some truths about how monkey pox is actually a biological, chemical weapon of war designed to wipe out africa, yeah, and so you want to listen to that. You can get that on spotify. I'm not sure that you know youtube will ban this, this one about uhhani Masei, but again, it's for them and, to be quite frank, I'm not really concerned if they do, because we're here to tell the truth and have an African-centered take on important issues affecting Ghana and Africa.

Speaker 1: 5:59

And this issue of illegal small-scale mining in Ghani Mase saying is a critical issue for Ghana because, like I said, three quarters of the water bodies in Ghana are destroyed, polluted to the extent that the Ghana Water Company Limited states that it is struggling to purify drinking water in Ghana. Company Limited states that it is struggling to purify drinking water in Ghana because of the nature of the toxic chemicals that are present within Ghana water bodies. So these chemicals include arsenic, lead, mercury and cyanide. These are all dangerous, toxic, toxic chemicals that are found in Ghana's Pluto water bodies and rivers because of the catastrophic effect of Ghanemse or illegals from world scale mining. Now, aside from this, the Ghana Water Company says is that it only has this is today, september the 5th, 2024,.

Speaker 1: 7:18

Ghana Water Company is saying that it can only now treat 40% of water in Ghana. That's down from 70 percent two years ago when I first did the pockets about what Garam is saying. The Ghana water authority is now saying that it can only treat just 40 percent of Ghana's water because of these toxic chemicals and also it's saying that if this is not tackled and tackled head on, by 2030, ghana will have no water. Ghana, the situation will be so dire because of the effects of these illegal mining. Ghana will say that Ghana will have no water in 2030, 2030 just six years time, just a mere six years. If this illegal small scale mining Ghana will say is not tackled, ghana will have no water six years time, just a mere six years. If this illegal small-scale mining Ghani say is not tackled, ghana will have no water and that Ghana will have to import water to bathe, to drink, to cook.

Speaker 1: 8:22

Is this what you want in Ghana? Is this what Ghanaians really want? And I'm urging my listeners in Ghana you've got to wake up. This is an ecocide. This is a genocide right before your very eyes and you've got to start worrying because you don't know if you're drinking poison water. Yeah, because if the Ghana Water Company Limited is struggling to purify drinking water in Ghana and it says that only 40% is treatable, is struggling to purify drinking water in Ghana and it says that only 40% is treatable, I would take that very, very, very seriously.

Speaker 1: 8:58

Yeah, because it is affecting our health Right now. Just speaking, in Ghana and I said this two years ago babies today in Ghana are being born today 2024, in Ghana, with severe deformities. Babies are being born in Ghana with no nose, with no eyes, with no limbs, with no anus yeah, with teeth coming down their side, with no arms, with teeth coming down their side, with no arms, because of these chemicals that are present in the woman's womb while she's pregnant, and so we are already facing the consequences of this catastrophe. So not only is there health catastrophe, in terms that newborn babies are being born deformed, yeah, also, you know, many people, particularly in the mining areas, are developing cancer, yeah, and all of those sorts of diseases because of the effects of the toxic, poisonous chemicals like mercury, like cyanide Again, you know, because of these nasty chemicals there's now in Ghana, particularly in the rural communities, mining communities, people are now developing breathing problems. People are now developing breathing problems. So, aside from this health nightmare now that we are in right now in Ghana, there is also an epidemic of water diseases. So we're drinking poison water.

Speaker 1: 10:42

Yeah, because of these wicked, wicked Chinese and the Ghanaian counterparts, including high office. Let's make no bones about it. The office of the presidency is involved and knows who is engaging in illegal mining. This is why nothing can be done about it and this is why nothing has been done about it, because many people in very, very high places, not just senior military, not just senior police, but in very, very high levels of government, are benefiting from this. It is even said that the chairman of the MPP in the Asante region, chairman Woon Chimmy, is deeply involved in Ghanamase. It is said that the Western Regional Chairman is also deeply involved in Ghanamase. So this is not just conjecture or hearsay, this is absolute truth. So people at the very top level of government are involved in Ghana Masei, illegal water scale mining, and we are now seeing the consequences.

Speaker 1: 11:57

Because when you poison water Ghanaians, when you poison water, when your water buzz is poisoned, that is tantamount to terrorism. I want to say that again. You understand. You understand what is happening to you in Ghana. When you poison people's water supply, people's water that they drink, that is tantamount to terrorism. Water is 70% of the human body. Your blood, your organs, your tissues are made up of water, and so if you are drinking literally poisoned water, that's going to kill you, you're going to die, and we see that happen today in Ghana and no one you know, no one is open arms about it, no one is protesting in the streets about it, no one is mad about it, angry enough to call out the government for being complicit in, you know, along with Chinese nationals, in poisoning our water supply.

Speaker 1: 13:10

Can Ghanians go to Ghana? Sorry, can Ghanians go to China along with Chinese nationals in poisoning our water supply? Can Guyanese go to China and do illegal mining and poison their water supplies? Hell, no. But why have Guyanese allowed, not all Guyanese, but those particularly in power? Why have Guyanese, particularly those particularly in power, why have Guyanese particulars in power have allowed Chinese nationals to come to Ghana, partake in illegal, small-scale mining and, as a result of this, pollute our water supplies?

Speaker 1: 13:46

Hmm, so, aside from the terrorism, aside from the health aspect, there was ecocide. Our water bodies are poisoned. The rivers are poisoned. The main rivers in Ghana, like the river, prah river, othin river, onkobria, onkobria yeah, the main rivers. It's also river supply. I think the only one that's not yet polluted is the Volta River, and the Volta River serves the Volta region specifically and also some parts of Accra. If that goes, we're doomed. So that is one of the few. The Volta Basin is one of the few water bodies that has not been touched by this wicked the few. The water basin is one of the few water bodies that have not been touched by this wicked illegal small-scale mining called Ghanamse. Aside from that, the majority of water bodies in Ghana are polluted with toxic levels of water.

Speaker 1: 14:49

And also what I'll do so you can see for yourself and understand for yourself the things of this. I'm going to put a documentary right by one award winning Ghanaian journalist about poison rivers in Ghana as a result of this Ghanamese menace, and so you know. So we come to the echo side. Like I said, the health aspect is there. Yeah, the the fact that our water birds are poisoned and people people are drinking and bathing poisoned water is there. We now have the echo side aspect of this genocide, in terms of that our water birds are poisoned. We now have the ecocide aspect of this genocide, in terms of that, our water birds are poisoned, the forests in certain areas have depleted, some farms in these mining areas have been ransacked in order to engage in this illegal small scale mining. So we've seen it in the ecocide right before our very rise in Ghana, and Ghanaians seem to be oblivious from this what it actually means for the health, for the ecocide, for the environmental and particularly for the food concern and food security of Ghana.

Speaker 1: 16:15

I don't think Guyanese are mad enough, because if Guyanese are mad enough, this should be an emergency, yeah, and people should be rioting in the streets. People should be making noise in the streets of Ghana, just like, just like you see in Kenya, in Nigeria and other parts of content about the cost of living crisis in these countries. Guyanese should be making hell, a lot of noise about this terrorism, this eco-terrorism of polluting our land and water because of Ghanem, say, but no one. Everyone in Ghana seems to be a bit from it and doesn't think that it's affecting me because you live in Accra. But hey, like I said, if you're not careful, even Accra could be hit very, very soon and, like the Ghana Water Company said, if this is not tackled, within the next few years, Ghana will have virtually no water and we have to import water.

Speaker 1: 17:16

And so the key areas where this illegal scale mining has destroyed large chunks of land, land shots of water boys in Ghana, the the main five areas are as follows the western region, the Asante region, the central region, the eastern region and the Bono region of Ghana. These are the five epicenters of this illegal small-scale mining, aka Gamsay, which has decimated not just parts of the land in those areas that I've mentioned, but also the water bodies. Yeah, all the water bodies in those regions that I've mentioned are destroyed and people in those areas are probably drinking toxic water. Yeah, and you're going to see a health emergency in the next year. Yeah, I give it one year, not even two years. One year Because if you're drinking polluted water, dangerous, toxic water, there's only one result that can happen serious illness or death.

Speaker 1: 18:42

And Ghana is sitting on a serious, serious time bomb and, as I mentioned earlier on poisoning water, these criminals, chinese and Ghanaians, who are deeply involved and, as I mentioned earlier on poisoning water, these criminals, chinese and Ghanaians, who are deeply involved in this illegal small-scale mining. For me, they're terrorists, because their actions are causing our water bodies to be destroyed and people drinking poisoned water. That is, for me, an act or form of terrorism. And so Ghana is sitting on this time bomb, and this time bomb is ticking, tick, tock, tick, tock, tick, tock, but yet nobody has been brought to book, nobody has been charged, and illegal small scale mining has worsened in the last two years since I first brought you this issue about Ghanaians.

Speaker 1: 19:46

And so, ghanaians, the choice is simple those of you who are from Ghana, tune to my podcast, because I know I've got a lot of listeners in Ghana. You've got two choices Either wake up, because we can't wait until the next election Next election is 100 days time, sorry, not 100 days time, but 94 days time. In the next election, we can't wait for a change of government to tackle this madness. This madness needs to be tackled now, not today, not tomorrow, not next week, not next month, not next year, but now. And so, ghanians, like I said, you've got two choices you wake up, do something now. You rise up now, before it's too late.

Speaker 1: 20:36

Or you allow these political you know tricksters and their cartels to damage and destroy water bodies to the extent that you're going to be drinking damaged water, polluted water, and you're going to die, and no one will give a toss about you, Not even these wicked politicians who are behind this Along their Chinese. You know cohorts In this small scale illegal mining in Ghana, so we've got to do something about it. There is no if, no but, and this should be not partisan. This is non-partisan, because it is not just MPP, ndc, cbp. You know Cheddar Party, you know Pakistan Indian Party that drink water, or Ghanaian drink water. Because of your religion, your political affiliation, your so-called tribe, we all drink water, and so if our water is poison, right, it affects us all, and this is why we've got to take this as a state of emergency. We can't. The stakes are very, very high. This is a state of emergency because water is life and water is precious. Water makes up 70% of the human body, and so we cannot allow this galaxy to continue any longer, because a day, day and day and day that it goes unabated, the more people are going to die drinking this polluted water, and so I thank you for listening to this special edition of Ghana in Focus with myself, kwame.

Speaker 1: 22:22

Ghanaian writer, broadcaster, journalist, podcaster and entrepreneur. If you like what you hear, appreciate to your friends, family, social media networks and please subscribe to Ghana Africa in Focus. Focus on YouTube and also on Spotify as well. And so in next week's edition of Ghana in Focus, it's Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Day and again we have another special talking about why Nkrumah never dies, despite the agenda of some to tarnish and destroy the man's legacy. So watch out for that in Ghana In Focus next week, as if I'm myself Kwame, and from all the crew here on Ghana In Focus, it's. Thank you very much for listening and we'll see you in the next edition of Ghana In Focus.